File No. 711.5914/77b
[Untitled]
Washington, August 5, 1916, 2 p.m.
143. Danish Minister here seemed to feel Department responsible for publicity in connection with treaty. Facts of the case are these: Department was informed one month ago by two reputable papers that they had complete story, which they had secured from Denmark. At the personal request of the President, they agreed to, and did so withhold publication. Story was published in London on July 22 and it was stated it came from Copenhagen. Then the American papers published the story and the Philadelphia Ledger, one of the papers, which originally had the story from Copenhagen, published details it had obtained from these. This Government refused even after publication to discuss the matter or give any details of any kind. It is clear the responsibility for the premature publication was not on this Government.