Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-16
UNCLE SAM, Esq.
Secrecy in the Senate.
By Oliver Owen Kuhn.

Secrecy (selresi), n. the state or quail
ity of being hidden. concealment, retire
ment."
That's the way Noah Webster defines
the word. But, in a lexicon pertinent TO
the machinery Of the American govern
ment there might appear this:
Secrecy. method pursued by United
States Senate in disposing of federal prob
lens. the successful solving of which
might be hindered were the general pub
lie to become acquainted with them"
Though Americans generally have voiced
serious opposition to any action which
savors of the star chamber Of ancient
times, which, as history records, worked
so disastrously in depriving the people OF
their individual and community rights,
the United States Senate spends a great
part of it's life behind closed doors. At
some period, almost daily, the galleries Of
the great chamber in the Capitol are
cleared Of all spectators and portals. fig
uratively speaking; locked that questions
confronting the body may be thrashed out
in seclusion. During the earlier life OF
the American Congress 1t was found that
such procedure was absolutely necessary
to the contamination of treaties and con-
Practices adopted then never have been
forsaken.
The rules providing that any senator
revealing facts as to the business transac-
tons of the body while 1t is in secret SEES
sion shall be expelled from the body and
which say that any attache who shall re-
veal it's secret work shall be dismissed
from service and be subject to contempt
proceedings are as effective today as
when first adopted.
*
However, during the long course OF
years since these rules were inaugu-
rated new
Secret" Activities c o n lions
Are Often Revealed. a ae no. '' in.
frequently the germinal facts Of secret
deliberations of the Senate are en-
blazoned upon the pages of the metro
politan press Of the country. Mem
bers of the fourth estate in the capital
are reputed men of their word; they
ton and refuse, even under duress, to
reveal them. Many senators or at
taches know this. AS a result the word
secret" as applied to the executive
sessions of the Senate oftentimes does
not hold good, although never yet has
senator Deen expelled IOf QlVulR1nR
information which the press has
deemed important to the country.
But as a general rule the things
which the Senate labels secret" re-
main so until it becomes the will OF
the body to reveal it's deliberations
and decisions.
In the conduct of the government
there frequently arise matters which
are deemed so vital to the future well
fare of the nation that concealment
is necessary if desired ends are reached
Presidents of many administrations
past have considered it wise to send
confidential statements to the members
of the upper house in order that their
with the executive branch of the gov
eminent. If the President so desig-
mates, the Senate considers this cor
respondence behind closed doors. Ex-
tremely confidential data generally &C
companies drafts of proposed treaties
with foreign governments. Frequently
there comes about a situation in the
PRONUNCIATION of treaty where il
would be absolutely detrimental to the
Immediate interests of both the United
States and the other nation concerned
We're the contents of such a proposed
pact to become public. Statements
from the President or the Secretary OF
State as to just why treaty should be
ratified by the Senate: just why Ger.
tain clauses, on their face against the
interests of this country, should be ap-
proved, and, just why a treaty of the
kind is necessary at all, seldom reach
the public.
X X
While as history of the counfrx