Dumba Incident Misrepresentations

Title

Dumba Incident Misrepresentations

Creator

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Identifier

WWP20633

Date

1917 December 17

Description

Woodrow Wilson addresses the misrepresentations of the Dumba incident mentioned in the newspapers, specifically that he did not ask for William Jennings Bryan’s resignation.

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library

Subject

Press Releases
Rumor in mass media

Language

English

Text

In view of the misrepresentation repeated in the newspapers and finally embodied in a book with reference to the so-called Dumba incident, the President has written Mr. Bryan the following letter:

"THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

17 December 1917.

"My dear Mr. Bryan:

My attention has been called to a book in which the author states by very clear implication that I demanded your resignation as Secretary of State because of language used by you in an interview with Ambassador Dumba soon after the first Lusitania note. You may quote me as saying that I did not ask for your resignation or desire it, as anyone can learn from my note accepting your resignation. And this statement ought also to be a sufficient answer to the criticism of you based upon the Dumba interview, for I could not make it if I thought you responsible for the misinterpretation placed upon that interview in Berlin. But knowing at the time all the facts, I did not give the matter serious thought and I may add, in justice to you, that as you promptly corrected the misinterpretation when, within a few days, it was brought to your attention, it could not have affected the diplomatic situation.

Cordially and sincerely yours,

WOODROW WILSON


"Hon. W. J. Bryan,
Hotel Lafayette,
Washington, DC”

***

Original Format

Miscellaneous

To

Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925

Files

D30248.pdf

Tags

Citation

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924, “Dumba Incident Misrepresentations,” 1917 December 17, WWP20633, Woodrow Wilson Press Statements, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.