Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-03-18
Annual Rumpus as to Leaks as to
Happenings in Executive Sessions
Recently Started at Capital.
CORRESPONDENTS GET TIPS
FROM SEVERAL OF sENAToRs.
Then They Piece Them Together ami
Maize Plausible Story of What Hap
pens in the Secret Meeting.
BY BURTON X. STANDISH.
written for the United Press. J

Washington, March .S.-The United
States senate is peeved with itself. The
annual rumpus about "leaks" as to
happenings in executive sessions has
just been staged. There was a grave
debate about the matter the other day.
The question of "leaks" from the
executive sessions has been perennial
ever since there was senate. A
humorist here is credited with the epi-
gram that the only reason the senate
adjourns its secret sessions is in order
that members may have an opportunity
TO talk the session over with newspaper
men. The writer recalls vividly how
a number of years ago the late Senator
Hepburn of Idaho, made an impassionci
and indignant appeal to senators not TO
talk about executive sessions-refer-
ring to a piece of news which Hepburn
himself had given the writer following
a secret session. Hepburn was per.
fectly honest about his protest-zhe did
not realize that he had let the news
slip-but his is the attitude of most
Of the senators Henry Cabot Lodge,
Massachusetts, is, however, "wise" to
the newspaper boys.
"These correspondents are trained
men," he told the senate "They get
point from one senator, point from
another and then piece it together.
They talk with senators about public
questions and gain their point of view.
Then, with the fragmentary pieces Of
information they are able to put to-
gether a plausible story"
Reverting to Hepburn s protest again,
the Idaho senator made his protest in
open session and then when the senate
got down to executive business, he got
up and said some bitter things. A
newspaper correspondent with sense
Of humor made it his business to gather
the gist of Hepburn argument ard
the next morning the Idaho solon was
astounded to note that lis speech in the
executive session was reported in full.
Then he made his famous speech recon-
mending that the senate press gallery
be abolished.
Senator Kern is the man most extr.
eised now about the leaks. He has lu-
troduced a resolution demanding an in.
vestigation by the senate foreign rela.
tions committee Of how the newspapers
get their information Other senators
favor making it a crime for a news.
paper to print news of the happenings
in executive sessions.
Negro Question Arises
A serious complication arising out
of the race question ia anticipated by
army officers when the amendments TO
the so.called army "Manchu" law be-
come effective. Major Charles Young
of the Ninth cavalry, a colored man, is
the complications. According to the
"Manchu" amendments, Young, and
every other army officer will have to
serve four years Of every six with
troops in the field. In Youug's case
/
this will entail his occupying a major $
quarters in various barracks. Usually
such quarters are contained in one ot
q row of three houses provided for
those Of the majors rank.
Thus far the war department has sue.
cceded in giving Young who is a West
Point graduate various detached de.
tails, thus preventing any breach be.
cause of his close association, in bar
racks, with brother officers. Brt
these detached details will not be pos.
sible under the Mauchu law amend
ments.
Thus far the race question has never
been serious one in the army, OWING
to the organization Of white and colored
regiments, yet officers at a post are
thrown so constantly in each other ,,
company particularly those of the
same rauk--that disposition of YounS
is vital question.
1t is gossip here thot previous vt
tempts to "get" Young have failed
He has passed all his examinations with
flying colow, is first.class soldier
and fighting man and just simply can I
be ousted, As matter Of fact arml
officers are rather proud of him il
nm official way,
They say he has never attempted mol
sought social advantage from his rauk
has never attempted TO "break into
post affairs and mix with brother off
GERS, But they feel it would be in
finitely embarrassing with his major Z
rank, to have even a man Of Young
type in barracks, An army office
hero is authority for the followiul
tribute to Young's discretion;
"Army etiquette requires that al
officers at a post make a call on
uSweomer, an officer, at the earbcs
moment after his arrival Major Younl
+, who was stationed at post whore
was waited as long as possible, an,
then having aseertained beyond doub