The Delta independent., 1917-02-02

the PUBIC ana INFORMED them that In
the late afternoon they would expect
"a statement" to be released for pub
lication shortly thereafter
In his testimony Secretary Lansing
said he had discovered, since the day
that he gave this advance information
to the newspaper men on the forth
coming statement. that three persons
were in the room who We're not news
paper men. Later the names of these
men were given and each one made
separate avowal that he had not dis
closed anything that he had heard
during the interchange between the
secretary and the correspondents.
1t has been the custom of the secre-
tary of state to meet the newspaper
correspondents in the big reception
room of the state department. room
into which visitors on sightseeing bent
ordinarily are admitted. There are
great many newspaper correspond
ents in Washington and not all of them
are known personally to the secretary
of state. 1t would have been com
paratively easy matter at all times for
an outsider to obtain admission to the
room in which these conferences are
held. 1t is probable that in the fu-
ture the secretary will talk to the
newspaper men under a more ade-
quate cover.
Former Secretaries More Cautious.
Always in past years it has been an
extremely difficult thing for an unau-
thorized person to enter the precincts
tween the officials of government and
newspaper correspondents is to be car
ried on. Mr.. Lansing is the first sec
retary of state for many years at least
who chose to talk in the big outside
room.
When the president holds his one
day-a-week talks with newspaper cor
respondents there are four checks.
yes one might say five checks, on ad-
mission. There are secret service
men on duty mt the White House Of
fees in the morning when the presi-
dent is there present. These men know
all the Washington correspondents by
sight. When the writer's enter the
round office room in which the presi-
dent meets them they pass by the
secret service man who stands at the
door and scans each face as its pos
SCISSOR walks in.
With the president when he talks to
newspaper men almost invariably sare
Joseph p. Tumulty, his private secre-
tary: Rudolph Forster. executive
clerk. and Thomas w. Brahany. chief
clerk. In addition there is a stenog-
,aiy he
which are asked the president and the
presidents answers thereto.
Pretty Suffrage Piekets.
Twelve silent woman sentinels. six
of them bearing banners. have been
standing in front of the gates giving
entrance to the White House grounds
The banners read. MIR. Wilson. what
are you going TO do for woman suf-
frnge?''
The young women who carry the
banners are young and good-looking.
The banners are yellow. white and
purple. and altogether the thing is
a pleasing picture. OF course the
action of the Congressional Union
for Woman Suffrage. which formulated
and carried through this plan for
bringing Mr. Wilson's attention TO the
cause in hand has been criticized
sharply here in Washington, and let
haste be made To say IL also has been
upheld by many suffrage sympathizers.
II Is not the intention of this news
article to deal with the merits or de-
merits of woman suffrage. Some OF
the doings of the suffragists. however.
can be told with propriety and might
he told with extreme picturesqueness
If the writer's pen were equal to the
undoubtedly picturesque features of
the movement as II is conducted In
this town.
The house committee on judiciary
has turned in two reports on the sub
iect of submitting the federal suffrage
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States The majority of the
committee ordered the report without
recommendation one way or the other.
The minority members put in report
of their own and 1t is favorable to the
cause of the women. The suffragists
In getting the matter before the house
in whatever form, have won an initial
victory. AS for the future. not even
the women can tell.
Two Organizations, One Aim.
There are two organizations of suf-
fragists represented in Washington,
ably represented. and In considerable
part, let one who wants to be gallant
say. beautifully represented. There Is
the National American Woman Suf-
frage association, and then there Is the
Congressional Union for Woman Suf-
fruge. Both bodies of women are striv