New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-29
WILSONIAN SECRECY
Pitiless Publicity Never Applies TO His
Handling of Diplomatic Questions.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: We learn from the newspapers that
yet another dove is TO be sent forth from
elfacing Colonel House = to 20 again 10
Europe. He will prowl around Europe
charged with the duty Of telling the diplO.
matte representatives Of this country in
Europe certain things which they canno.
learn through the ordinary official channels.
Incidentally, also, we may assume that he is
TO pick up whatever scraps Of information
may fall from the tables OF foreign chGncel-
leries and bring them home for the private
consumption of the President
We have had shirt-sleeve diplomacy ami
we have had dollar diplomacy. and while we
may not have cared particularly about either
Of them we have at least understood them
and known where we were at; we have had
some glimmering Of an understanding Of
what our rulers were about. Now We have
diplomacy which battles speculation, and
we can only assume that that is precisely
what the secretive individual in the White
House is anxious that il should do The
various missions Of Colonel House 20 Europe
are the natural sequel TO the adventures OF
Messrs Lind and company in Mexico. The best
We can hope is that Colonel Houses sense OF
personal honor may prevent him, on his
return from his mysterious mission from
Selling the opportunity afforded by moth
ers' meeting to bring unsupported charges
against some tried and experienced smber
of the official diplomatic corps.
Must We not IL we arc 10 "stand behindp
the President, reconsider our previous estl-
mates Of the secret diplomacy Of "feudsl'
Europe. and must We not withdraw withou;
qualification all Of the harsh things which
we have said about il? Never In autotratc
Russia was there more secret!yeness than
there has been at the State Department IN
der the present administration. The .rsdi-
ton Of secrecy which Mr. Wilson established
was, Of course, broken by the blabbing OF
Mr. Bryan TO certain representatives Of for
eign powers but though DR.. Dumba enjoyed
the confidence OF the Secretary Of State, the
American public was less fortunate.
From first TO last, under Mr.. wilson. al
ministration. the American people Lave been
kept studiously in the dark. They are per-
mitted to know nothing concerning The status
OF the Lusitanie negotiations. II they as
sumo that the administration is only ANXIOUS
to forget these old, unhappy. far-of tning''
that is President Wilson's own fault. They
gather from the Presidents message anu
from the recall of the German nsva, ana
military attaches that the State Department
has considerably more evidence than mas
been published concerning Teutonic con-
spiracies in this country. Are they not en-
titled to know the facts?
And IL, in consequence OF the widespread
dsquiet which rumor causes, many eXcei'
lent citizens of German origin are made IN
justly the victims of anti-German suspicion
does the blame attach TO the American peo'
pie or TO the administration Aftcr the mrs.
note on the Ancona was sent, all the CORE
spondents in Washington telegraphed the re-
port that 1t had been dispatched. but otheias
OF the State Department shut their mouths
and 7agely wagged their heads; hey ha1
nothing 70 say on the subject. Has INC
much abused British censorship ever been
more idiotc?
II President Wilson cannot feel happy IN
less his particular friend. Colonel House.
experimenting the activities Of repreSen's'
tives of the United States in foreign esP'-
tails, then by all means let him give 'n'
Colonel his appointment as Rowing AmoSS
sador Extraordinary and Plenipotcntiary
let the American public know exactly VINO -
is who is representing them and why no
doing so.
At any rate. If We are to change the man.
ner Of our traditional diplomacy, making "
more secretive than was ever dreamed OF IA
Europe, let Us at least be hone'.
about it end admit that the experiment o.
open diplomacy has proved failure. in
President is never tired OF assuring Us o.
his devotion TO the rights OF humanity; per,
haps he would serve these more effectively
he regarded first the rights Of the Amenesn
people who elected him to once. IL
New York, Dec. %. 1915. .-.a.----