The Washington herald., 1922-11-19

lndfgnitieS.
"HAT the wives Of American
consuls In Germany had been
- stripped naked. given an
acid bath to detect writing on their
nesh. and that this fact was
known to President Wilson and
his Cabinet At the time OF the dec
iaranon Of war with Germany N
revealed In letter. of the lats
Hon Franklin d. Lane, Secretary
Of the Interior. Just made pubic m
q book issued In Boston
The widow Of Secretary Lane
furnished the letters for publ
cation.
The letters ten how Mr..
Wilson encouraged his osbinst
to talk Of trtviaiitiss whfle he
went along On his own eourse
to solve the huge problems nc
ing his administration.
NEUTRALs DISREGARDm.
The President said be dsdnt
wish TO see either ssds =. s.-su
both had been equally indifferent
to the rights ~ neutrlls.- Mr..
Lane wrote to his brother on
February IL. ...
Writing again to his brvehsr,
February 16. 1917. Mr.. Lane aid:
AT our dinner 70 the President
last night he said he was not
In sympathy with any great pre-
paredness-that Europe would
be mad and money-pvor By the
end OF the war"
Continuing. Mr.. Lane added n
few observations Of his own.
The army and navy are % set
and stereotyped and standpat
that I am almost hopeless a. 20
moving them to the wise, large
and wholesome Job" he wrote.
They are governed by red tspe
worse than any union. The
chief Of staff fen asleep n our
meeting today. Mars and Nor.
pheus in one"
Again to his brother, Februsry
26. Secretary Lane wroter d.
"A most animated session Of the
Cabinet arose out Of q very limo.
cent question Of mine, as to uheth-
er II was true that the wives of
American consuls on leaving Ger
many had been stripped naked.
given an acid bath to detect writ.
ing on their flesh. and subjected
to other indignities.
Lansing answered that e was
true.
DANIELS FEARED DANGER.
Then discussion Of the ereat
problem which we had all been
afraid to raise-why shouldn't we
send our ships Out with guns and
conveys? Daniels said we must
not convoy-that would be dan
gerous. Think OF a Secretary of
the Navy telling Of dangerJ The
President said the country was
not willing that we should take
any risks Of war. said that
got no such sentiment out Of the
country. This the President
took as a suggestion that ve
should work up a propaganda OF
hatred against Germany.
OF course. said ! had no such
&dea, but I felt that In a denocrs.
cy the people were entitled 70
know the facts. McAdoo. Hous-
ton and Redfield Joined me. The
President turned on them bit
terly. especially on McAdoo, and
reproached all OF us with appeal.
ing to the spirit OF the code
duello.' We couldn't get the idea
out Of his head that We were bent
on pushing the country into
war.
I'VE have had TO push and push
TO get him to take any forward
step. He comes out right but be
is slower than q giacier-snd
things are mighty disagreeable
whenever anything has 10 be
done"
Mr.. Lane himself became efs-
couraged at times. On January 10.
1920, he wrote:
The whole world is skew-3ee.
awry. distorted and aitogether per.
verse. The President n broken
in body and obstinate In spirit.
Clemenceau is beaten for an offics
he did not want, Einstein has DE-
clared the law Of gravitation out.
grown and decadent. Drink. con.
soling friend OF q perturbed world.
is shut off: and all goes merry -
q dance in he'll"
Women I'm Knickers
Barred From Dances