The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-26
BRITISH EDITOR FOR
PUBLICITY In FARLEY
People Have Right to Know
; Progress Of Peace Confer
ence, Says @. p. Scott.
TIME PAST FOR SECRECY
Cannot Hide Making of Struc-
turo of Freedom to Make
World Safe From Strife. =

MArcHsTTR, Dec 25.---"when we
speak of eliminating secrecy, we do
not, of course, mean that reporters
should attend the peace conference,
but that, though the discussions are
private, the results should be pub
hshed. and not at the close of the ne
eotiations but throughout them"
This view was expressed by c. p.
Scott, editor OF the Manchester GHar.
dian, in a talk with the Associated
Press on the question OF secrecy at tho
peace confidence.
Naturally there arc drawbacks"
continued the Guardians editor. Deli
cate matters. involving special ma
tional interests and national pride.
may in some ways be more difficult of
adjustment when made the subject OF
public controversy but. on the other
hand, the only means Of bringing ef.
fective pressure to bear in the general
interest against particular interests is
by publicity.
Take Public into Confidence.
Doubtless public discussion would
need to be conducted with restraint
and under a sense Of responsibility
and with unbroken friendliness. That
would be the duty of the public every
where, who would then become in a
real sense parties to negotiate In
which the interests 81 all are involved.
II would be the duty of the newspa-
pers, so powerful in this matter, to as
sist. But the fundamental reason for
breaking with the old tradition of Sc
creoy arises out Of the very concep-
ton and the primary object of the cor,.
ference.
THE conference IL. or ought TO be,
the coming together Of the nations In
the world in the common interest of the
world and for the attainment Of OBJ
jects in which all are equally con-
cerned. As long as this motive and
object are dominant there is no rea-
son for secrecy Publicity Ia the sur
Necessity Of starting Right.
las President Wilson has we'll said.
the International relation we now seek
TO establish Is the relation OF under
standing and OF friendship. We had
better begin as we intend to go on.
Again, though the primary object of
the conference is to establish and
maintain this relation OF amity be-
tween the nations, there IL no inten-
ton or possibility OF overriding essen
.tial national rights. The nation,
rightly regarded and defined, remsins
as the distinctive unit in the new
order even more definitely than In the
old, hut a league of nations involves
rightly and OF necessity certain re-
strictiors on independent national ac-
ton subversive of the common veal.
1.-The nature and limits of these re-
strictions need to be deeply considered
and carefully defined. Every nation
has right to know how much of its
Unrestricted and sometimes anarchic
freedom Of action II Is expected to
surrender. and for this also frank and
open discussion Is needed In order IN
remove natural prsJudlce and meet all
reasonable objections.
Free Play to Opinion.
Lastly. or perhaps We should put
tIlS NtIlSlueIdllJn lTSl vi III, We are
here concerned with defining the rights
and building up the effective union Of
the free peoples. with making, to use
famous phrase, the world safe for
democracy. the abiding home OF free
dom. But freedom implies free play
of public opinion and popular forces.
at would he wholly Inconsistent
with this conception OF social organize
ton and Of government to hide from
the peoples the making OF the struc-
ture of freedom in which they arc
hereafter to dwell. Such a procedur,
of concealment belongs to the era
when 'sovereigns and statesmen were
to ordain and peoples TO obey and fol.
low.
IAN Europe IL saying good-5y 10
that and Joining her voice to that OF
America. We must take counsel to-
gether on the ground of the future
not OF the past