"Representatives of the press," said Mr.Lansing, "have repeated rumours that you are planning to resign.

These have been brought to the President's attention, and both he and I have denied them.

Still these rumours persist, and they cause both the President and me great anxiety.

We cannot believe that they are well founded.
"In view of the fact that they are so persistent, we have thought it well to inform you of them and to tell you how earnestly we hope that they are baseless.

We trust that you will set both our minds at rest." If Page had ever had any compunction about addressing the President in blunt phrases these expressions certainly convinced him that he was a free agent.
Yet Page himself at times had his doubts as to the value of this correspondence.