The Washington times., 1922-11-19

AihSaaSIaAS
"HAT the wives OF American
consuls in Germany had been
Il stripped naked. given an
acid bath to detect writing on their
flesh. and that this fact was
known to President Wilson and
his Cabinet at the time of the dec.
laration OF war with Germany Is
revealed in letters Of the late
Hon. Franklin d. Lane. Secretary
Of the Interior. Just made public in
q book issued in Boston.
The widow Of Secretary Lane
furnished the letters for publ
cation.
The letters ten how Mr..
Wilson encouraged his Cabinet
to talk Of tr1viaiitiss while he
went along on his own course
to solve the huge problems fac
ing his administration.
NEUTRALS DISREGARDED.
Tho President sid he didn't
wish 70 So either side Iin-for
both had been equally indifferent
to ths rights Of nsutrals," Mr..
Lane wrote 70 his brother on
February IT.
Writing again - his brother,
February 10. 1917. Mr.. Lane said:
~At our dinner 70 the President
last night he said hs was not
IN sympathy with any great pre-
paredness-that Europe would
bs mad and monsy-puor BY the
end Of the war"
Continuing. kF. Lane added a
few observations q his own.
The army and navy are % set
and stereotyped and standpat
that ! an almos hopeless a. to
moving them to the wtse, largo
and wholesome lob" be wrote.
They ars governed ~ red tape
wores than any union. The
chief Of san feil ssisep ss our
meeting today. AarS and Nor
pheus In ona."
Again 70 his brother. February
26. Secretary Lane wrote:
"A most animated session Of the
Cabinet arose out Of . very inno-
cent question Of mine. - 70 wheth-
Or Il was true that the wives Of
American consuis on leaving Ger.
many had bssn stripped naked,
given IN acid hath 70 detect writ.
ing on their desh. and subjected
to other indignitieA
Lansing answered that 4 wss
true.
DANIELS FEARED DANGER.
Then . discussion Of the great
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.
serous. CThink Of q Secretary Of
the Navy telling OF dangsr.) The
President said the country was
not willing that We should take
any risks Of war. I said that
got no such sentiment out Of the
country. - This the President
took as . suggestion that We
should work up q propaganda or
hatred against Germany.
"Of course. said I had no such
idea. but I felt that In q democra.
cy the people were entitled 10
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 he
is slower than a glacier-and
things are mighty disagreeable
whenever anything has to be
DONE"
Mr.. Lane himself became dis.
couraged at times. On January 10,
1920. he wrote:
"The whole world Is skew.iee,
awry. distorted and altogether per.
verse. The President IL broken
in body and obstinate In spirit.
Clemenceau is beaten for an office
he did not want. Einstein has de.
clared the law Of gravitation out.
grown and decadent. Drink, con.
soling friend Of a perturbed world,
is shut off; and all goes merry rs
a dance in hell"
Women I'm Knickers
Barred From Dances
0Lrur1nAy