NAVAL MESSAGE
                       (NAVY DEPARTMENT)
 
PAGE 13
 
 
LOR FELT THAT FROM TIME TO TIME UNFORTUNATE RUMORS AND PIECES
 
OF PROPAGANDA HAD DISTURBED BADLY THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO
 
COUNTRIES. THE CHANCELLOR PARTICULARLY DEEPLY REGRETTED THAT
 
A FALSE RUMOR HAD BEEN CIRCULATED AFTER A CONVERSATION HE HAD
 
HAD A FEW YEARS AGO WITH AN AMERICAN OF GERMAN DECENT. THIS
 
RUMOR HE CITED AS TYPICAL OF THE RUMORS, PROPAGANDA, AND LIES
 
WHICH CREATE UNFORTUNATE MISUNDERSTANDINGS. THE RUMOR WAS SUP-
 
POSED TO HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WITH THE GERMAN-
 
AMERICAN REFERRED TO ABOVE. THE RUMOR IT SEEMS WAS TO THE
 
EFFECT THAT ON THE OCCASION OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S SECOND
 
ELECTION THE CHANCELLOR WAS SAID TO HAVE EXPRESSED THE OPINION
 
THAT HE PERSONALLY CONSIDERED THE REELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT
 
TO HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE. THE RUMOR WAS A LIE ON TWO GROUNDS
 
FIRST THE CHANCELLOR HAD SIAD NO SUCH THING AND SECOND THE
 
CHANCELLOR HAS HIS OWN IMPORTANT PROBLEMS TO SOLVE IN GERMANY
 
WHICH ABSORB SO MUCH OF HIS TIME THAT ORDINARILY THE PROBLEMS
 
OF AMERICA ARE TOO FAR AWAY FROM HIS OWN MIND FOR HIM TO MAKE