New-York tribune., 1919-06-06


from Idaho to examine it while in
their possession, whereas the Senator
from Massachusetts appears to have
been particularly favored. These New
York concerns, they say. have partic-
ular interests in the terms Of the
treaty. This involves an attack upon
the President of the United States of
the most scandalous character.
Calls 1t Attack on Treaty
ut appears to be new chapter in
the attack on the treaty itself; new
chapter in which both of the senators
concur. 1t is done for the purpose Of
attacking the treaty. 1t conveys to
the public mind the idea that there
is a secret combination between the
commission headed by the President
in Paris and the business interests
in New York by which the latter are
to be given advance information with
held from the Senate-a mysterious
charge
"Men who make such charge owe
it to the public to demand an in
vestigation, and they would have de-
manded an investigation if they had
been making charge in the public in
terests and not merely for the pur-
pose of injuring the great treaty and
postponing the establishment of peace
PERSONALLY, l have no knowledge of
this matter l have never seen the
treaty nor asked to see it. | do not
know the New York interests that have
copies. If any New York interests have
copies, they evidently have closer COM
munication with the enemies Of the
treaty than with the friends of the
treaty.
Senate Must Find Out"
ri want to know how those New York
interests got these copies, if they have
them. The country wants to know. The
Senate must find out 1t is not sutfi-
cent to leave the matter to the conf
dence and knowledge Of the Senators
who are fighting this treaty. We are all
entitled to know what New York inter
ests are using copies of this treaty in
their business, not simply those Scna-
tors taken into the confidence Of the
aforesaid New York interests The
Senator said it was not given to him,
but that it still exists in New York"
Does he say why he would not ac-
cept II" inquired Senator Brandegee.
81 think he does" said Mr.. Hitch
cock
What was the reason? ?" asked Mr.
Brandegee. II would like to have that
go in the record, also; also the page
from which the Senator is reading. He
meant he would not accept it and bring
it down here unless he made it public"
II do not know any great moral
advantage Of such treaty coming into
the hands Of the Senator from Massa-
chusetts and being withheld from the
hands of his associates" replied Sem
ator Hitchcock
Held Stolen Goods"
II can see no great moral boast in
that. If he held the treaty in his
hands, he held stolen goodsLgoods
probably secured by bribery; goods
which the President of the United
States and other international repre-
sentatives in Paris had promised should
not be made public for public reasons,
and in order that the negotiation Of
the treaty might not be interfered with.
Therefore, it was not given to me,
but it is there in New York. I heard
OF four copies in existence in New
York
"The Senator is very we'll advised,
evidently, of these nefarious interests
concerning which the Senator from
Idaho has made some rather strong
insnuations.
"'How many more there may be in
the country, do not know; but as
far as | can make out the only place
where it is not allowed to come is
the Senate Of the United States.
Calls 1t Strong Statement
"That is a pretty strong statement
for a Senator of the United States to
make-that the President is withhold
ing copies from the Senate and per
hitting it to go everywhere else by
concerns that have special interests
in the treaty. How a Senator could
have believed such a thing and not
have demanded an nves. .igation, 7 do
not understand"
Senators Hitchcock and Swanson at
this point read some historic state
ments, including one by George Wash
ington and Theodore Roosevelt in re-
fusing to give confidential documents
w NOlSIeSS
"What is the date of that last?" in
quired Senator Norris.
January %, 1906 when there was
a Republican President"
That was before the PRONUNCIATION
Of the doctrine Of open covenants of
peace openly arrived at 1t does not
apply now rctorted Senator Norris.
an conclusion" said Mr.. Hitchcock,
81 have very little to say. The Senator
from Massachusetts has gone on record
in the declaration that this treaty
is under the control of the President
of the United States; that the United
States has no representatives in Paris
besides the President.
Demands Investigation
"He has made the statement almost
f1at-footed that. those Representatives
under the control of the President of
the United States have given out
copies Of this treaty. He states that
there are at least four, and | think he
really said five, copies extant in New
York at the present time. The Senator
from Idaho indorses what he says and
declares that those treaties are in the
hands of interests which are using
them for private purposes, because
they are interested in the terms of the
treaty.
"Now say the time has come for
an investigation. l want to know what
interests the Senator from, Moecocbu