The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-16
PEACE CONGRESS
ADOPTS SECRECY
Of PROCEEDINGS
British And American Contend
for Open Session.
SURPRISE is EXPRESSED
Public viii Be Kept Completely in
Dark Concerning Some Import
ant Features of Negotiations.

Paris, Jan. l5.-No one outside Of
the delegates knows anything about
the discussion which preceded today's
decision to keep the proceedings oil
the Congress secret and to limit the
information divulged to official state.
ments.
The decision will preclude the
American delegates and even Presi-
dent Wilson from discussing formal
announcements that are issued. II
has been believed here by persons
close TO Wilson that he would contend
for an open session so far as possible
That he still feels the same way Is
the opinion generally expressed here
London. Jan 16-Morning newspap-
ers give much prominence to Paris
dispatches referring to the decision
that the peace congress proceedings
are 10 be secret and contrast II with
the official statement that there wonld
be no censorship which was issued
yesterday.
They point ont that it furnishes in.
explicable trouble None comment
editorily but most OF them express
surprise and disapprOval by big head
lines and brief Introduction sentences.
Protests are made that if the regula-
tion Is maintained, the public will be
kept completely in the dark concern
ing some OF the important features
Of napntiaffong
Paris, Jan. i5-After all that has
been promised concerning open discus
sion in the making of peace, steps
we're taken at today's session of the
lnterallied Conference which show
that the whole intent is to keep the
people OF the world in the dark as to
what IS going on behind the closed
doors of the Quai d'Orsay. The repre-
sentatives OF the five great powers
adopted a resolution that nothing
about their deliberation be disclosed
except what was contained in the col
orless daily communicates.
Some of those connected with the
conference construe the resolution as
meaning that they are to be barred
from seeing members of the press.
The whole spirit of the action taken
is contrary in every respect to the as
surance given to the American peo-
PIE, and already a feeling discour-
agement and indignation is displayed
amcng the newspaper representatives
from allied countries The British
correspondents made formal protest.
which was backed Immediately by the
American correspondents.
Outside of this new and most seri-
Gus cause OF complaint The American
correspondents feel that they are not
getting square deal in obtaining in.
formation from the American delega.
/ ton. The daily conferences between
4 the correspondents and members OF
the delegation are unproductive IN
every way, and the conclusion has
been forced upon the correspondents
that the only source OF news concern
ing American participation in the
neace negotiations is the President
who Is inaccessible
In spite of condemnation Will the
war was on the secret methods pre-
vaillng at the Congress of Vienna, che
conclusion is being forced upon oh
servers here that this conference j.
the Congress Of Vienna over again.
Paris. Jan. l5.-The question o
whether the Peace Conference is L
be secret or wholly open to the eye
and ears of the world, the settlemen
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