Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-03
CLOAK OF SECRECY WORN BY
WILSON AND AIDES DIS
PLEASING TO CONGRESS.
THINGS HAPPEN WHEN
NO ONE IS LOOKING
Activities Of Daniels, Bryan and
Lansing to Be Forced Into Lime
Iisht-spsech Of Wilson to Be
Quoted by Political Opponents
Politics lnterferes.

son is to be asked to disclose to the
country the manner in which his adj
ministration has conducted itself when
nobody was watching.
In this form the opposition in con-
gress will express it's view of one OF
the remarkable utterances Of President
Wilson in his Memorial Day speech.
You know yourself" said he with
engaging frankness. how you behave
when you think nobody Is watching"
Republican senators and representa-
tives pronounce this remark exceed
ingly interesting and illuminative OF
many aspects Of the trend Of public
affairs since March 4, 1913 They as
sert that the presidents utterance ex-
plains many Of the things done by the
administration which would have to be
left undone had It been known that
anybody was watching.
information to Be Demanded.
In view of the presidents confession
the republicans deem it high time to
inquire into the processes of the gov
eminent that have been shrouded with
an unprecedented secrecy for the last
are in preparation calling upon the
president to reveal all sorts of infor-
nation now withheld from the public.
In the senate it is customary to pass
such resolutions without question.
Therefore unless the democratic ma
jority prevents such action it will be
up to the president to say whether he
will or not disclose what took place
while nobody was watching"
An attempt will be made to inquire
into the secret diplomacy Of the state
department. Extraordinary precautions
have been taken to prevent anybody
from looking into the dealings with the
allies. with Germany and with the
Mexican factions. That fact that no.
body was watching is believed by the
republicans to account for the presi-
dent threatening Germany in his notes
while Secretary Of State Bryan was
telling Ambassador Dumba that Mr..
Wilson did not mean what he said.
Change Of Front Noted.
The republicans would like to know
what anybody would have seen had he
been watching when the president sud-
denly repudiated his voluntary In
dorsement Of the German view Of
armed ships and subscribed the view
OF the allies
Curiosity as to what the war and
navy departments do when nobody is
watching has been considerably salts
fed. but the republicans are bent on
delving therein also. Nobody was
watching when Admiral Flske handed
Secretary of the Navy Josephus Dan
iels his now famous report disclosing
the weakness of the navy, and the re-
port was suppressed until the fact
leaked out.
The republicans also want to know
to what extent the conduct of the post
office department has been Influenced
by the fact that nobody was watching.
An illustration Of the behavior Of the
administration when nobody is watch
ing was afforded by the action Of
Postmaster General A. S. Burleson in
discharging the assistant postmaster
at Winnetka, Ill, for criticising the
presidents marriage.
One investigation already has been
started. The Lobeck commission Of
the house is trying to find out what
happens in the internal revenue bureau
Of the treasury department when no.
body is watching. 1t is inquiring into
the charges that income tax frauds are
robbing the government Of $320,000,000
revenue annually.
President Censors News7
Intimidation of the press and Of
newspaper correspondents in the cap
ital also has been attempted by the
administration, it is charged. In at
least two instances the president him
self demanded the discharge or with
drawal from Washington Of correspond
ents who wrote articles which dis
pleased him. Another correspondent
who had been watching the admins
tration too closely was threatened
with prosecution on a flimsy pretext.