121.840 Welles, Sumner/135: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy ( Phillips ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 19—5:09 p.m.]
198. From Welles: Your No. 66, March 19, noon. I am issuing immediately the following amended text of the suggested statement.
“In order to allay the flood of rumors about my mission, I wish to state categorically that I have not received any peace plan or proposals from any belligerent or from any other Government; that I have not conveyed any such proposals to any belligerent nor to any other Government; nor am I bringing back to the President any such proposals. My mission has been solely one of gathering information for the President and the Secretary of State as to present conditions in Europe.”
Matthews of the New York Times late this evening showed me the text of the story he had yesterday cabled and to which you refer. I told him that he had written a story of which there was not one solitary vestige of truth. [Welles.]