The New York herald., 1922-11-12
'Confesses Mistake Candidly'
After Weeks Bars Him From
West Point.
GOT NEW IDEAS IN WAR
Remarks About Sportsman
ship Referred to 1853 and a
Forgotten Athlete.

The Hon. John William Fortescue,
librarian of Windsor Castle and presi-
dent of the Royal Historical Society.
revised yesterday his historical con-
clusions concerning Colonial American
and American sportsmanship. which
inspired Secretary Weeks on Friday
to request the withdrawal Of his in
vitation to speak at the Arrnistice Day
exercises at the United States Mill
tary Academy at West Point. Mr.,
Fortescue said:
'If historian does his best to ar
rive at the truth, speaks it without
fear or favor, and is not afraid to
confess his mistakes candidly when
they are pointed out to him. 1t Is at
least harmless passion, and this is
the standard 1 try to set before my
SELF"
Among Mr.. Fortescue's statements
which the Secretary of War quoted In
saying that IAN author entertaining
these sentiments Is not considered to be
proper person TO address the students
of Government academy" were:
Americans esteem a good bargain.
even IL gained by dishonorable means,
to mark the highest form of ability.
1.-THE United States cannot engage in
any form of competition with US. from
athletics to diplomacy. without using
foul play.
"They must win, IL not by fair skill,
then by prearranged trickery or vio-
~ "a
by garbled maps and forged documents.
There Is the fact. II may be un-
pleasant, but 1t cannot be denied"
Book written Before War.
The visiting historian told of his de-
votion to historical research and the
years spent In writing history after
he had recounted the circumstances in
which the Objectionable comment ap-
peared In print. He said:
THE passage quoted against me Is
taken from volume of lectures en-
titled British Statesmen of the Great
War published in 1911. AT that time.
of course, the Great War signified the
War of the French Revolution and En-
pire, which lasted from 1898 to 1916.
When / wrote this passage there were
fresh In my mind an incident of the
Behring Sea negotiations and an un-
fortunate lapse on the part OF an Amer
lean competitor in some international
sports which had recently been held In
England.
"All this is now ancient history.
Since that time America and England
have fought side by side in the great
war. That war brought many Amer
leans to England ana among them l was
fortunate enough to make few friends.
80 much water has gone over the
dam since that time that 1t really seems
too bad to have the matter coming up
now"
Both Mr.. and Mrs Fortescue are
members OF the English Speaking Union,
Of which John w. Davis. former Am
bassador to Great Britain. Is president.
and have been feted and entertained as
such since their arrival here. Mr.
Fortescue yesterday was genuinely re-
gretful OF his acid comment The Incl
dent Is likely to have no effect on his
visit here. for he said he will remain
until November 2S.
Mr.. Fortescue paid tribute TO his wife
who In recent years has undertaken
the designing of gowns under the trade
tame OF Clntra. and said he was more
anxious about the effect OF the West
Point incident on her than on him.
Tho passages TO which Secretary
Weeks took exception are from the
first of six Ford lectures at oxford
University. which -e-a later published
by the Clarendon Press Tney cropped
out In his discussion OF the problems
confronting the British empire after
the French and Indian wars Begin
ming at page B, Mr. Fortescue said
Immediately after the conclusion OF
peace there came up the question OF