The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-05
OPEN WAR DECLARED IN SENATE AGAINST RULE OF SECRECY"
Confirmation of Daniels Re- suits in Determined Effort to Change Conditions.
 Resolution Introduced

Washington, April 4.-Open war was de- elared in the United States Senate today against the tme- honored rule of secrecy relating to proceedings in executive ses- slons.
 Following the defiance expressed by sev- eral senators in closed session Friday against suppressing debate on the con firmation of Winthrop M. Daniels of New Jersey as member of the interstate com- merce commission, actual hostilities be- gan when Senator Kenyon of Iowa, after conference with those of his colleagues who are leading in, the movement to lift the ban on publicity, introduced reso- lution to provide for open sessions on all matters except treaties. unless otherwise directed by unanimous consent of the Senate.
 The resolution proposing to amend the rules and which was referred to the committee on rules, reads:
 Resolved That it is the judgement of the Senate that all executive sessions shall hereafter be open to the public ex- cept when treaties are considered or when the Senate by unanimous consent orders otherwise; and the committee on rules is directed to prepare such amendments to the present rules, or to prepare new rules, or both as may be necessary to carry out the terms of this resolution and present the same to the Senate for &C., ton thereon
 Strongly Supported
 It was submitted with the backing of Senators LaFollette, Cummins, Gronna, Borah, Clapp Jones, Bristow, Norris and Poindexter. who propose, as they gave notice Friday. to discuss freely executive session debates on the qualifications Of nominees for public office wheneye~ .ney feel that the public should sA Informed regarding them. ThessF senators were united today in the ...ntisecrecy campaign and all decla emselves without fear of any atteHpt being made to unseat them on ths ground that they are violating the oai. of office.
 T Even senators who adhere to the most strict interpretation of the Senate rules admitted that the Senate could not punish who disclose information relat- ing to presidential appointments, agree ing that obSerVances of secrecy was a matter of appealing to the individual 
 Administration leaders and republican senators who have long cherished the dignity of Senate procedure, expressed the view today that no action would be taken at this session of Congress at least. If senators wish to make public debates concerning presidential nominees, it was stated. they would bes privileged to do so without endangering their seats
 Upheaval Threatened
 Trouble has been brewing for many months over executive session secrecy and an upheaval was threatened recently during debate on the general arbitration treaty with Great Britain. In that de- bate Senators Root and OGorman en- gagged in a wordy controversy over the of the Carnegie endowment for peace. What the senators said on this point was widely published. and in a subsequent executive session a resolution was introduced by Senator Kern, the majority leader directing an Inquiry by the foreign relations commit tee into the manner in which information regarding secret proceedings are made public. IL was referred to the rules com mittee, where it since has reposed no action having been taken.
 Ever since the resolution was submit ted there has been a suppressed under of feeling against secret proceed ings.