Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-28
Several Senators Object to
Publication of the Executive
i Session Proceedings.
AGREE ON RESOLUTION
PROVIDING AN INQUIRY
Chairman Stone of Foreign Rela-
tons Committee Deplores Publicity
Given Treaty Discussions.

Stirred to action by the apparent
freedom with which the doings of the
foreign relations committee in con-
sideration of the Nicara guam and Co
lomb treaties have been published
from day to day, several senators
yesterday agreed on resolution asking
for authority to subpoena senators
and Washington correspondents to an
inquiry to determine how the proceed
fngS of the committee-which are sup
posed to be especially secret-get out
Chairman Stone introduced the reso-
luton. and II was referred to stand
ing committee which decides on the
expense involved in such investiga-
tons 1t Is expected that the Senate
will pass the resolution.
Chairman Stone read into the Con-
gressional Record this statement:
"An newspaper reports of what has
occurred in the committee on foreign
rela lions in it's proceedings regarding
the Nicara guam and Colombian treaties
are unauthorized and inaccurate. and
are, moreover, unworthy of belief, be-
cause whoever gave out the alleged IN
formation betrayed the confidence of
the committee and government and de-
liberately violated his word of honor.
Executive Sessions Confidential.
There is a rule of committees that
proceedings in executive sessions are
confidential, and this is especially true
of the committee on foreign relations.
II is matter of regret that the i'm
preston prevails in many quarters and
in other nations that We conduct our
diplomatic affairs with less dignity and
respect for the delicacy of questions
involving other nations.
a.
Is too much shirt-sleeve diplomacy. Dur
ing the consideration of the matters now
before the committee some one con-
nected with the committee in some ca
pacity has been guilty of a gross I'M
propriety. CARRIED and inaccurate state
ments have appeared in the press as
TO what was said and done with respect
to these matters.
Two days since. on the invitation of
the foreign relations committee, two
gentlemen representing Nicaragua. one
the minister of finance of that republic
and the other an accredited agent to this
government, appeared before the COM
mittee. They felt that they could speak
with freedom because they understood
1t was to be treated in the highest de-
gree as confidential.
Classed as DisgracefuL
tee has been guilty Of giving out what
performance. No man connected in any
capacity with the committee can give out
onidential business of that committee
without placing on him the brand Of
,ishonor and betrayal"
Tie committee probably will endeavor
- cross examine its own members and
may decide to go into broad inquiry
that VIII reach out through the Senate.
nder the resolution the committee may
sztI MN "a MI n
learn where they obtained their informa-
tlon about the two treaties.
Dissenting View Heard.
Evidence that all senators do not en-
urely approve the idea that the commit
tees proceedings shall be secret was
given by Senator Norris, who is not a
member Of the foreign relations COM
mittee. He offered a resolution that all
senators be furnished with copies Of the
daily testimony before the committee on
the treaties, that senators who were to
vote on the matter should have the bene-
fit of it.
One result of the developments was to
strengthen the determination of several
senators opposed to the treaties to make
an effort to have them considered by
the Senate in open session.
Urge the Nicaraguan Treaty.
Charles A. Conant Of New York urged
upon the foreign relations committee of
the Senate yesterday the need of passing
the proposed treaty with Nicaragua,
which has been under fire for the last
two weeks.
Secretary Bryan Of the State Depart
ment, who Is advocating the ratification
of the treaty, also met with the COM
mittee yesterday.
Mr.. Conant told the committee that It
would be very good thing to extend the
Platt amendment 30 that 1t would cover
Nicaragua as well as Cuba and estab-
fish a virtual protectorate by the United
States over Nicaragua He said that in
this way 1t would be possible to put
Nicaragua on a stable financial basis
and enable her to do business with the
rest Of the world.
Mr.. Conant was sent to Nicaragua by
the United States government in 1911 to
look into Nicaraguan finances