The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-09

/
the Nebraska senator said if Senator
| Lodge heid a copy of the treaty in hi.
| hand It either was a stolen document
or had been obtained by bribery. Thf
| Connecticut senator said he never mac
had the audicity to say that the ad-
minstration or any of its agents car
be bribed'' and that when the investi-
cation had been started he hoped Sen
ator Hitchcock would either withdraw
his inference or make good his charge
Lodge Saw Copy in New York.
Senator Lidge in a brief statement
told of having seen a copy of the treaty
in the possession of a friend in New
York.
Not In Hands Of Financial Interests.
Il have never heard of the treaty
being in the hands of financial inter-
ests," Senator Lodge said. II was
| had some talk with him regarding
certain parts of it." The senate said
he also saw another friend who offered
him a copy of the treaty but he de-
clined, saying he would not accept a
copy that he could not make public.
told him he knew four copies of the
treaty were in New York. The Massa-
chusetts senator said neither of the men
referred to had any connections with
He added that he made no inquiry as
to where they obtained copies of the
treaty
Would Not Be Honorable.
Replying to questions by Senator
Hitchcock, Senator Lodge said he did
not think it would be honorable for
him to disclose the name of the men
who had copies of the treaty. He eX-
planned that he regarded it as very
important that constituents should feel
they could transmit communications to
their senators without fear of their
names being made public He added
that he did not know if the persons to
whom he had talked in New York OBJ
jected to their names being made
known. Declaring that several news
papers today had printed 25000 words
of what purported to be part of the
treaty text, Senator Brandegee said that
except in the senate copies of the docu-
ment are "as common in this country
as huckleberries Senator Hitchcock
asked Senator Lodge if he would ask
his informants whether they would per-
nit their names to be used.
II can find out, l think" said Sena-
tor Lodge.
Senator Lodge was asked if in the
event of their refusal. he could further
aid the committee in their identification.
Declares Lips are Sealed.
Certainly not" he replied sharply.
my lips are sealed as far as they are
concerned. l regard that as matter
of honor"
Senator Williams wanted to know
whether Mr.. Lodge could give the
names of others who might be sum
moned No." said Mr. Lodge II have
heard nothing else other than the state
,ment referred to by Senator Williams
that Mr.. Dawson brought some copies
with him and also that Mr.. Vanderlip
had them"
Mr.. Hitchcock asked whether the
witness could tell why the persons with
whom he talked had obtained copies.
IF have no idea whatever" said Mr..
Lodge. They had no. business inter-
ests at all as far as l know"
ut might have been political in
terest," suggested Senator Hitchcock,
but Mr.. Lodge denied it.
Knox Defends Senator Lodge.
Senator Knox, republican. Pennsyl-
vania, interrupted to declare that Mr..
Lodge had given all the information
possible and that what he withheld was
a matter of highest senatorial privilege
and personal honor. Therefore any
further effort to locate his informants
is hardly fair" said Mr.. Knox:
Mr. Lodge was excused and Senator
McCumber, who had been presiding,
yielded the chair. Acting Secretary Polk,
the next witness said he had first re-
ceived the text of the treaty by cable
apd estimated it was about so per cent.
complete.
courier, about May 49," Mr.. Polk con-
tinued. Later I received ten copies
by special courier and since then a
package of copies by pouch (maiD."
Mr. Polk said he did not know how
many copies were in his possession be-
in the mail package. the seals being
IAN were placed in my safe and held
up subject to further orders" he said.