New-York tribune., 1919-05-24

stances had published portions of the
text.
When Senator Hitchcock, of Ne
braska, interrupted to ask if there
were not an agreement against publ
cation among all the peace delegates
Senator johnson replied
II don't know and I do not care
adding that such an agreement would
have been unfair to the American pub
lie
Senator Walsh. Democrat, of Mon
tana, interjectcd that publication of
the treaty might be deferred by an
agreement made at Paris.
Il do not know; | do not care.
Senator Johnson replied. "If there
was an agreement it was violated when
synopsis was given out. The only
reason on earth for not giving out the
text is that you've something to con-
ceal."
Hitchcock Defends Secrecy
Senator Hitchcock replied to Senator
Johnson, urging that the resolution be
1eterred to the committee. Mr.. Hitch
cock also argued that the resolution
violated procedure by calling upon the
State Department instead of the Pres
ident for the text
Discussing the Presidents constitu-
tlonal power to negotiate treaties, SEN
ator Hitchcock said the Senate never
IN 100 years had asked for a treaty
before it was completed.
THE President has the power to
OF
referring to the present treaty, land
never send it to the Senate"
Senator Hitchcock declared it would
be "absolutely indecent" for the Sen
ate to pass such a resolution at this
time
"No good can come of it," he de-
clared. 'It would be regarded as an
indication that the Senate wants TO
render more difficult the settlement of
peace"
Characterizing Senator Hitchcock's
argument as "the ve.,.st tommyrot." !"
Senator johnson declared "it would be
the very essence of cowardice to he
AFRAID to ask for that to which we are
entitlcd.'
Thomas Would Amend II
Senator Thomas, Democrat. Of Colo
RADIO, another member of the FOREIGN
Relations Committee, moved to amend
the resolution so that it would call
Tor the treaty text only if publication
were compatible with the public in
terest. He said it never had been
the practice to send to the Senate or
make public such international! docu-
ments until they had been accepted by
all the nations interested.
Senator Lodge said there was nc i'm
propriety in the Senate resolution. but
added that even if the Senate passed it
the President would not give out the
text
Then we're wasting time" Senator
Thomas mterjected
NO" the Republican leader replied.
smiling, we're calling attention to the
new method of open covenants of
peace openly arrived at"
"lf | have anything to do with the
treaty" Mr. Lodge added, Il shall not
adopt the policy of open covenants of
peace openly arrived at. because it has
presented the most secret one, almost,
that history can recall. shall ask the
Senate to treat it with plain-even pitt
ss-publicty.
What impropriety is there in our
having the whole OF it?" Mr.. Lodge
continued, declaring the league of ma
tons draft had been made public, then
amended and made worse than i. was,
and then again made public
Lodge and Hitchcock Clash
Now they say he concluded, that
we shouldn't have the text of the treaty
that every German storekeeper is read
ing to-day"
The Senator is mistaken,' Senator
Hitchcock interjected.
Il don't believe it-that I'm mis-
taAen,' Senator Lodge replied "By
what authority does the Senator make
the statement"
BY the best authority now in Wash
lnston,' Senator Hitchcock replied.
That authority is worth no more
than We have here" Senator Lodge re-
ponded. Spectators in the gallery
laughed and were reprimanded by Sen
ator Walsh, Democrat, of Massachu-
sets. who was presiding
During Senator Sherman's criticism
OF the Pres dent. following the intro
duction of his resolution, his colleague,
senator Mccormick, Republican, Of
illinois, handed him a quotation from a
lecture by Mr. Wilson in 1908 at
Columbia University in which the pres
ont Executive advocated close coopera-
ton with Senators.
Quotation From Soeech
The quotation submitted by Mr.. Nc
Cormck and read BY Senator Sherman
follows:
"But there is another course which
the President may follow, and which
'one or two Presidents of unusual po-
litical sagacity have followed, with
the satisfactory results that were to
have been expected. He may himself
be less stiff and offish, may himself
act IN the true spirit of the Con-
stitution and establish intimate re-
lations of confidence with the Sen
ate on hrs own initiative, not carry
ing his plans to completion and then
laying them in final form before the
Senate to be accepted or rejected,
but keeping himself in confidential
communication with the leaders Of
the Senate while his plans are in
course, when their advice will be of
service to him and his information