The Washington herald., 1918-11-27
SENATE WANTS
PEACE TREATY
OPEN TO ALL
To Present Resolution Ask
ing That People Be Kept
, Informed.
&SHATTER PRECEDENTS
Senator Johnson Protests
Against 'Prussianizing
Nations News.
SKATER PRECEDENTS

The demand of certain Senators
that the treaty OF peace should be
discussed publicly in open session
of the Senate will be one of the
big problems which the Senate
will have to face when Congress
reconvenes. Statements made yes
terday by various members of the
Senate show that the movement
for open discussion of the treaty
has assumed no inconsiderable
proportions.
One Senator, who is unwilling
at this time s-< have his name
made public, announced that he
will present a formal resolution to
the next Senate demanding that
} the doors be thrown open, that
fthe treaty be given to the public
as soon as it is received by the
Senate, and that the people of the
United States be kept fully in
formed of every step taken before
it is ratified.
Should this resolution be adopt
ed, all Predendents of the Senate
will be shattered, and Senators
will feel free to express them
selves openly upon the terms of
the great convention.
johnson Issues Statement.
In this connection a significant
statement was issued yesterday by
| Senator Hiram W. johnson, of Cali
fornia, in which protest is made
against what he terms the "Prussian-
izjnE of the news of the nation. &"
He declares that the people Of the
country are unprepared for peace be-
cause they have been kept in igno-
ance of the great events OF the war.
Senator Johnson's statement in part
\ follows:
We sSS as unprepared for the
problems or peace as we were for
|waging war. The administration. in
the war, did many things well and
some things i'll. While echoing the
lOftiest sentiments of democracy
and freedom for all other nations,
with an iron hand it destroyed ths
liberty of the press and freedom OF
speech at home.
; BY repressive and suppressive
measures the thought of the nation
was made stagnant and no loyal ex-
preston which did not yield a ready
aCquiescenCe was permitted or toll
Grated. In a republic. arrested or
suppressed expression and stagnant
thought are unhealthy; they are
dangerous things.
Election Result Due to Policy.
The result of the recent cleo
tion, in my opinion. was due to the
policy which arrogated to itself ON
niscience and denied to loyal Ameri-
cans the right of free and decent
expression. A repressed and sup
pressed people. forbidden for many
months interchange of thought
found their only mode of express
sion in the ballot box and there eX-
pressed themselves.
. Our nation now in the peace con-
ference will make the most moment
Gus decisions in its history. No one
man within himself has all the
fNknowIedge or patriotism or vision Of
America. The problems of peace and
the future destiny do not find their
solution only in the East. There
a Pacific. as we'll as an Atlantic
an Orient as well as an Occident
| There has never been a time when
! republic has so needed the best
thought and the best effort of all its
citizens.
I'VE can render no higher duty
nd render no greater service than
publicly to discuss our problems of
eace. peace terms and the future re-
tions between ourselves and other
tions. and the path the republic
Ian follow in the years to come. -