The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-16
Open SESSION
ON The TREATIES
Senate Will Admit Public to
the Debates on Peace
Matters

Washington. Jan. l6-The senate to-
DAY voted to admit the public to its
debates on the pending arbitration
treaties with Great Britain and France
the vote was decisive. only eight sem
ators of the sixty.six recorded being
IN favor of closed doors.
The controversy as to whether the
discussion should be In open or clos
ed was brought to head when Sena-
purpose to make a speech in relation
70 the treaties. Senator Lodge said
the delicacy Of the entire subject Of
foreign relations demanded that the
discussion of 1t be executive. Sena.
tor Rayner resisted the movement, but
senator Bacon, who was presiding,
sustained a motion by Senator Lodge.
seconded by Senator McCumber. that
the senate go into executive session.
AFTER the doors were closed. Mr.. Lodge
reiterated with vehemence that il the
discussion were public things might be
SAID or q character likely to embar-
rass the relations of the government
with the European party to the trea.
ties.
Senator Smith Of Michigan took the
lead IN demanding that the debate be
open to the public: He wanted to know
why 1t was that If the foreign rela-
tions OF the United States were of such
delicate moment. officials Of the state
department should show less restraint
than senator's and while the president
felt free to go from one end Of the
country, discussing as he saw At, the
treaties It was argued by Senator
smith said that the astute diplomatic
'fs5erved Is cSSsda' tho tho rtsht iatn Is eoi'. nac
cur or not az to whether q dispute
should be arbitrated. The Michigan
senator said that the only representa-
uon the states have in relation to for
eign matters Is through their senators
and that through them the states had
defeated many unwise engagements.
Senator Lodge called attention to
MS resolution enumerating some of
the questions that were not to be re-
garded as within the scope of the
treaty.
Everybody wants peace" REPLIED
Senator Smith. but If matters of vital
interest and national honor are not to
be the subjects of arbitration under
this agreement not soldier Will be
or battleship dismantled. {"
Senator Smith said the limitation
made the treaties an hypocrisy and
necessarily limited the force of the
treaties to questions Of smaller concern
oSct Which no country would 20 to
war. He said that such questions could
be settled as easily through special
treaties of arbitration as through a
general declaration. which does not
mean as much as its language would
seem to indicate in the way of pro.
noting peace and concord" He con.
demned article three which invoked
the aid Of an International commis-
sion whose only function, he said.
would be to embarrass the parties to
a treaty in the eyes Of the world II they
failed to give effect to a special find-
ing.
After the debate had continued for
some time, chiefly between Senator'S
Lodge and McCumber on the one side
and Senators Smith. Cummins and
Rayner on the other. a resolution
providing for open sessions was Of
fered by Senator Gallinger and was
adopted So to 6. When the doors were
reopened Senator Lodge wanted to
proceed with the treaties but the sem
ate would not consent. The Massa-
chusetts senator announced that he
would press them again tomorrow and
Senator Rayner stated that he would
be ready to speak.