Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-16
PRESIDENT AGAINST
LIMITING THEPRESS
Tells Conferees He Promised
Americans Proceedings
Would Be Open.
POLITICIANS AT WORK
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


'tCopyright 1919. by N. 7. Evening Post, Inc.
PARIS, January 16.-President Will
SON has told his French, italian and
Japanese colleagues that he is unable
to accept their proposal that the pro-
ceedings of the peace conference shall
be limited to single communfque
daily. beyond which the press will be
unauthorized to publish anything.
Mr.. Wilson stated clearly he had
promised the American people that
the proceedings would be open. and
while he realized informal prelimi-
nary conferences must necessarily be
private to reach agreements. he could
not support the view that restrictions
should be placed upon press discovery
of what had occurred or been said.
The British position was practically
the same as that of the United States
Whole Atmosphere Changes.
The whole atmosphere has been
changed overnight by the tentative
decision favoring secret diplomacy.
toned to think Of France as having
been grievously wronged, and SOL
diers who fought for her men and
women. may not be familiar with
designs of reactionary statesmen
whose only chance to perpetuate
themselves politically is in keeping
people ignorant of proceedings, but
would consent to present censorship
imposed on their own newspapers by
French leaders.
In actual practice the decision
means that French spokesmen will be
able secretly to advance any propo-
sition they please, arguing before
colleagues that it represents public
opinion in France. which. however,
could not manifest itself to tho others.
Some French leaders. for example,
on the left bank of the Rhine, which
American commentators have often
argued the French would never want,
even though mentioned in the famous
secret treaties published by Russia.
Some Favor Old Provisions.
Nevertheless, there is an active
movement favoring the provisions of
the old French Russian treaty now
going on. and it is believed that a
formal proposal will be made at the
peace conference. Should such fact
be discussed by public opinion in
France outside statesmen would have
opportunity to observe whether an
nexation is the plan approved by the
French people.
Perhaps the most serious factor of
all now is the point at issue of open
diplomacy. President Wilson and
Lloyd George feel absolutely pledged
to keep the peoples of their countries
advised, and the Italians support the
French secret methods; but If Italian
people who are similarly kept under
censorship knew the attitudes of the
government there would be objection.
The trouble is that under censor
ship existing in these countries every
decision will be made to appear unan-
imous. For example, assiduous effort
is being made in certain French pa
pers supporting the government to
make it appear that the allies all
agree constantly on Russian policy,
when all correspondents here know
America and England oppose sending
troops to Russia.
Would Perpetuate Scheme.
Thus French people. even though
the war was ended, knew that vital
current ran through peace confer
ences thus far, and there seems to be
an effort of French statesmen to per-
petuate that scheme. The American
commission in meeting the corre-
spondents today felt unable to say