Evening star., 1916-08-10
BREACH OF FAITH
0NDAN|SH TREATY
Senator Stone Demands In
quiry Into Premature Pub
|ication of Text.
COPIES SENT THE SENATE
UNDER SEAL OF SECRECY
Foreign Relations Chairman Insists
Making It Public Was Dis
honorable Act.

Investigation of the means by
which a confidential copy of the
treaty under which the United
States would acquire the Danish
West Indies for $25,OOO,OOO be-
came public was demanded in the
Senate today by Senator Stone,
chairman of the foreign relations
committee.
An abstract Of the treaty published
made from one Of twenty-five numbered
copies sent to the Senate Tuesday by
the State Department, with a letter
transmitting a request of the Danish
government that the terms of the con-
be withheld until the two gov
ernments agreed to promulgate them.
The departments communication
reached the Senate, in executive ses-
sion, Tuesday, and was referred to the
foreign relations committee. The treaty
probably will be considered by the
committee early next week, and the ad-
ministration is confident that it will be
ratified before the end of this session Of
Congress.
Holds Culprit to Scorn.
Senator Stone announced that he
would bring the matter oficially before
the Senate for action at the first ex-
ecutive session, which may be held later
today.
t. o.
Senator Stone, that any senator of the
United States would give this treaty to
the public under the circumstances
Every senator has a right to a copy
and to go to the executive clerk and
get it. If any senator did he KNOWS
where it, has gone. But If he exposed 1t
to the public he did a dishonorable act
and ought to be disciplined by the
Senate.
"a senator who would so utterly dis
regard the rules of the Senate and defy
the request Of the President of the United
States deserves the scorn of the Senate -
Senator Stone further declared that he
thought that the body Of correspondents
in the Senate press gallery would not re-
sort to dishonorable methods In the acQui-
sition Of news.
Correspondents Not Criticised.
"I have no criticism Of the correspond
newspaper comes into possession of .
confidential communication Of this kind
sent by the President of the United States
to the Senate and prints it to the detri-
ment of the public interest it is an en-
tirely different matter. Every senator
and every patriotic American can have
but one opinion of such action"
The senator emphasized the impor-
tance of secrecy because of the Iact
that a similar treaty with Denmark
was interfered with and ratification
prevented several years ago.
I'VE KNOW" he said, that a similar
treaty was negotiated with Denmark
some years ago. and 1t has been cur
rently reported as an open secret that
foreign government used its infiu-
ence to prevent its ratification in Den
mark. Whether that was the reason
the President and tho government of
Denmark asked that this treaty be
held in confidence I do not know. but
do know that when two sovereignties
make a request like that the Senate
ought to adhere strictly to the rule of
confidence"
Committee Copies Sealed.
Explaining publication of the treaty
in Washington and New York news
the twenty-five printed copies of the
treaty sent to the foreign relations
committee still were sealed today and
none Of them could have reached the
eyes of the newspaper correspondents.
Il have just communicated with the
Secretary OF State" continued Senator
stone, and he has informed me that
Of the ten copies sent that department,
one is held by him for his own use and
the other nine are locked in the vaults
of the department"
The present case. Senator Borah of
Idaho said. illustrated the inadyisabil-
ity of considering all treaties in Sc
cret. This dealing with treaties in
executive session Is wholly fruitless,"
said Senator Borah. "ExecuRye ses-
sions have become a relic of antiquity
and should be dispensed with. There
is scarcely any treaty that should not
be considered in the open"
Criticising the Nicaraguan treaty,
Senator Borah said II the American
people had known all of the circum-
stances it would never have been made.
1T would have been a credit to dig
nifty, even honor, If its details had
been known before 1t was ratified" he
said. @
The Danish treaty, Senator Borah
continued, is real estate deal"