New-York tribune., 1919-04-25
Wilson Fears to
ShOWHisDraft.
Harvey Insists
Afraid to Allow People to
See League Plan He Tried
to Pledge Them 10, Editor
of 'Weekly'' Now Declares

u he President of the United States
is afraid, for reasons best known to
himself. to allow the people of the
United States to see the programme to
which he secretly attempted to pledge
them and their children's children"
This is the comment of Colonel Har-
vey in the edition of "Harvey's Week
ly, which will be issued to-day. on
the failure of the President to supply
Senator Brandegee with copy of the
league of nations plan submitted at
Paris by the President, which was re-
jected in favor of the English draft.
Colonel Harvey's article says:
We were taken to task rather sharp
ly when, last week and the week be
fore, we announced that President vii
son would never allow the American
people to see the league of nations plan
which he prepared, and which was put
aside In favor Of the British plan.
No Possible Objection
I'VE were reminded that the Presi-
dent had assured Senator Brandegee al
the White House on February - that
the rejected American draft was avail
able, and that there could be no pos
slhle objection TO its publications A.
the President Inadvertently overlooked
this detail ia the more pressing anO
engressihg duties upon which he Va
heht We We're told that il would be
Forthcoming immeAiatel ia 4eplN 10
Senator hfandegee 3 formal resuesl to
The State Department Al that the
President needed Vas gentle re
mihder or ris promise.
MIR Polk, the Acting Secretary oF
State, was of the same opinion al lest
The World so indicated when he re
ceived Senator Brandegee's communi-
cation dated April 3. and true to his
promise, he promptly reayed it TO the
American mission at Paris. expecting.
we assume. as prompt authorization to
release the document
Brandegee Gets Letter
after patiently waiting since April
8 Senator Brandegee received the fol-
lowing communication:
"'The Counsellor for the Department
OF State. Washington. April l8. 1919
My Dear Senator Brandegae: In
my absence Mr.. Phillips acknowl-
edged your letter to me Of April 8.
reporting your conversation with the
President on February - and re
questing that a copy of the Ameri-
can plan of the league of nations be
iurnlshed to you. so that YOU may
know what our representatives al tho
peace conference had recommended
and that the plan may be made pub
lie
"a cablegram was sent to .hc mis-
SION on the subject. explaining that
the department had not yet received
a copy of the American plan TO which
you referred. have to-day received
a reply from the American mission.
STAT ne that copies of the American
plan will be brought back at the time
OF the return Of the President and
the mission to the United States
The department had no copies Of
this plan. as the files Of the peace
mission arc being kept together in
Paris until the conclusion Of the con
ference. and in the mean time the
department is not receiving the draft
proposals presented to the various
committees and sub committees.
Very sincerely.
"FRANK /. POLK
says nc Dare Not
"'Ihe communication from Mr. Polk
merely tends to add official confrma-
tion to the Announcement we have
already made. to the effect that the
President has no intention whatsoever
of allowing the public TO see the
American plan. The simple truth is
that he dare not. # it were other
wise, what possible reason could he
nov have, after Il promise made on
February q, for authorizing such
cablcgram AZ that upon which Mr..
POIkA communication LA nrealcnlnd ~