The Washington herald., 1919-06-12
SOURCE OF TREATY
LEAK TRACED TO
THOS. w. LAMONT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Lamont to Mr.. Root was told about
frankly and without any attempt at
concealment of the facts.
Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Vanderlip tes-
tined they had not been in possess
sion of any copies.
The investigation accounted for the
copy which Senator Lodge saw, but
1t did not account for any other copies
OF which Senator Lodge said in the
Senate he knew OF four. and Senator
Borah declared there were several
Notwithstanding this, the investiga-
ton apparently will so no farther
and no more witnesses will be called
unless Mr.. Lamont should return from
Europe in the near future. In that
event he will be asked by whose au-
thority he gave copy OF the treaty
to Mr.. Dawson.
Repablican. Seem Pleased.
The Republicans protessed them
selves to be greatly pleased with the
result Of the Investigation. In the
first place, the testimony completely
exploded the theory advanced ey Sem
ator Hitchcock In presenting his reso-
luton for an Investigation to the ef-
feet that IL Senator Lodge had seen
copy It had been stolen or OBJ
tanned by corruption cr bribery.
Not only was there no bribery,
theft nor corruption. but the par
ticular copy which senator Lodge
saw was handed out by one of Pres .
ident Wilson's own personal repre-
sentatives.
The statement made by the Pres
ident In his cablegram TO Senator
Hitchcock last Monday to the effect
that no person had a right 10 the
copy was also disproven by the tes-
timony when II was shown that Mr.
Lamont had obtained II from official
sources.
Senator Borah declared that he was
entirely satisfied with the investiga-
tion because il had established the
fact that the international banking
firms are interested in the league OF
nations covenant for the reason that
il is to be the instrument by means
of which the, are to finance and
rehabilitate Europe.
Former Senator Root expressed
strong resentment over the statements
that have been made to the effect that
he had no right to the possession of
the copy. Mr.. Dawson did likewise.
Mr.. Roots explanation was that il
one party to a treaty under negotia-
tion makes the terms public II then
becomes public property. In this case
the German delegates had made the
treaty public.
Secrecy Request Later.
Furthermore. it was asserted by MIR.
Root and proved by Mr.. Dawson that
at the Nme Mr.. Lamont turned over
ha tria 10.
mulgated in Paris against making the
treaty public. The injunction TO
secrecy was made afterwards, it was
stated by both witnesses.
Mr.. Root came before the committee
voluntarily because his name had been
mentioned in the press in connection
with the statement by Senator Lodge
that he had read the treaty. He told
the committee that he has had a copy
for two weeks. which was sent to him
by Mr.. Dawson.
Mr.. Root stated that there are
about 1.400 persons on the payroll
of the United States at the Peace
{ difference and that practically
.every employe who returned
brought a copy of the treaty with
him. He admitted that the treaty
deals with important financial ques-
tiors and said it would be unfortu-
nate if the bankers of the country
did not interest themselves in these
Questions.
Mr.. Dawson confirmed all that
Mr.. Root said as to how he came
into possession of the treaty. He
outlined a plan which he has been
formulating for getting all the
bankers of the United States into
Ia compact organization for the
financing of Europe; he stated that
he believed the league of nations