Evening journal., 1914-07-22
Object TO PRIVATE
SENATE Sessions
ProgreSSiveS Will Force
Public Discussion of Pub
lie Business
WANT PEOPLE TO
KNOW TREATY PLAN
BY BURTON h. STANDISH.
written for The United Press)

WASHINGTON, July 22-Whether
the Senate itself or any committee
of the Senate has the right to dis
cuss questions of public interest be-
hind closed doors is q question that
will be thoroughly threshed out be-
fore tn, present session Of Congress
adjOurns, if such Senators as Borah,
Of Idaho; Norris, of Nebraska;
Kenyon. of Iowa, and La Toilette, OF
Wisconsin, mean what they say.
Lively discussion on this point was
brought up when the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, through SEN
stor Stone, asked for permission to
investigate itself. with view OF dis
covering Just what Senator has been
telling the newspaper men what has
been happening behind the closed
doors Of the committee during its in
vestigation of Central American
finances in connection with the pro
posed draft of the treaty with MIC
aragua.
Secretary Of State Bryan has been
Sitting in" at the meetings OF the
committee all the way through and
on one day in particular he was
shocked to read in the newspapers
full and complete account of the
story told the committee, in "conh-
ndence' by representatives of MIC
aragua.
The particular story that caused
the rub is said to have been that re-
garding the offer of Germany TO pay
more than S3,OOO,OOO for the option
on the canal route if Nicaragua would
not ratify the proposed treaty with
the United States
Bryan at once was called upon by
the Nicaraguans, who knew him bet
ter than they knew anyone on the
committee, with a protest at their
testimony being given to the public,
and they could not understand how
the newspapers had gotten such
| complete accounts of their testimony
without the stenographer's notes be-
/ ing given to the newspapers.
ave thought It was In confidence
OF we would never have talked they
told Mr. Bryan.
Thereupon Bryan made a hurried
! trip to the committee, and stated his
4 case. Senator Stone expressed
amazement that the doings Of the
committee should have leaked out,
! but not half as much amazement as
was expressed in the press gallery
when It was known that a majority of
the committee had stood for" the
investigation resolution.
For "the boys who had been writ
ing the news knew. and knew that
the members of the committee knew,
that the man on the committee who
l ta1I 10 he NJ N mon
al some time following a meeting
/ Is the rare exception.
Most OF the committee members
/ have always recognized the news
paper mems argument that the com
mittee had no right to withhold such
! information from the public. and this
belief always has and probably al
ways will. make executive meetings
largely futile.
Senators Norris and BOrah point
out that these two treaties, with
Columbia and Nicaragua, involve the
paying out of the United States treas
ury Of $4,000, 900 in money. and the
granting of privileges which are
worth inestimable millions more i'm
connection with the Panama Canal.
They declare, with other Senators,
| that the people of the United States
are entitled TO know every fact about
the entire financial history of the
countries. and just what are the
reasons for and against the treaties
which arc discussed at such length
/ i'm the committee meetings
They further point out that under
the plan proposed, not only will the
committee meetings be executive, but
| the treaties themselves will be con-
| sidered in executive sessions of the
Senate, so that the treaties may
/ actually be ratified without the
American people ever knowing the
truth or falsity of the sensational
charges made.
! Debate in the open Senate on these
treaties Ia the demand of the pro-
gressive Senators of both parties, and
this leads back 10 the fact that tht
! progressive element desires that all
executive sessions of the Senate
should be abolished, except I'm the
consideration of questions of greai
dellcacy affecting the internationa
/ relations of this qOyprnment