The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-24
JOHNSON AND LODGE
ASK TREATY'S TEXT



|
usf If we are entitled to a synopsis
/ prepared for us by agents OF the Ad-
ministration, then we are entitled &c
the entire document, so that with full
knowledge we may be able to determine
whether we shall approve, reject or in
| sist upon notifications.
From the instant when fifteen day,
ago this synopsis, described as semi.
official, was made public the American
people and the American Congress have
| been entitled to the entire document
and there has been no reason why
| they should not have It II the synop
| sis was what II has purported to be. q
| fair presentation OF the entire contents
| Of the treaty. subject only to minor
| corrections, then the publication of the
synopsis removed any possible reason
| why we should not have the entire docu.
ment. AS a matter Of fact there have
been publications of certain terms and
| conditions as contained in the treaty
| which are not to be found in the syn.
opsis that has been laid before us with
the assumption that 1t contained every
thing in the treaty.
why should that be true? Appar.
emily Important parts of the document
have been omitted from this synopsis
but why should there now be q question
oSOue pubhchhi3 IL all
Again Demands Full Treaty.
Senator johnson in conclusion agar
demanded that the text of the treaty
be transmitted to the Senate.
rs the Senator prepared to state as
fact?' inquired Senator Walsh (Mon-
| tana), Democrat, that the full text OF
the treaty has been printed in any OF
the allied or associated countries, or In
any other countryF
ct don't know whether 1t has been
printed in full in any of the countries
and 1 don't care" retorted Senator
Johnson hotly.
81 know that II the synopsis that has
been laid before US is what 1t purports
to be. a representation of the complete
minor corrections, then there is no pos
entire document"
At this point Senator Hitchcock
(Neb). Democrat. the retiring chairman
of the Committee on Foreign Relations.
rose.
IT can inform the Senators" he said
that the full text of the treaty has not
been printed in Germany. or in any OF
the allied or associated countries. It's
publication has been forbidden in any of
them"
Then" pursued Senator johnson. 'if
there has been an agreement among the
delegates of the allied and associated
countries sitting in Paris that it should
not be published and IL the synopsis
which has been given to us is what 1t
purports to be. true and accurate one,
that agreement has been violated by
the publication OF this synopsis. Why.
public meetings have been held for the
discussion of the detailed terms of this
peace as set forth in this synopsis, and
have read one despatch which de-
scribed one OF the meetings. as a result
of which Miss Jane Adams sent to the
President a protest against the severity
OF some of the terms.
The only thing that could possibly
justify giving out synopsis in lieu of
the complete text is that there is some
thing in the treaty which It is desired
to conceal for the time being lest oppo-
sition to 1t be aroused"
Question of Violating Pact.
Again Senator Walsh Interrupted:
III there was an agreement not to
publish the text of the treaty" he in
quired would you have the American
Government violate 1t by making the
text public?"
II cannot-assume," replied Senator
johnson, that any American representa-
tive has agreed that only a part, rather
than the whole of this vitality important
document shall be given publicity. 1t
is not possible for me to assume that
an American delegation would take a
course 80 calculated to mislead the
American people / assume, in view Of
the fact that the synopsis has been
given out, that such a request as I am
here making could properly be and
would be complied with"
Again Senator Hitchcock took the
floor to explain. I'm the first place he
said, "the resolution is defective in form
in two respects; fatally defective. It
should call on the President, and not
on the Secretary OF State, for this docu-
ment. and it should ask for it on the
condition that 1T be not incompatible
with the public interest AS 1t stands
the resolution calls on the Secretary
OF State to do something he has no
possible right to do. The only proper
treatment for this resolution Is to send
it to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tons. where It may be considered and
If necessary amended to a proper form"
But" persisted Senator johnson, I'VE
have already been told that we have
the substance of the complete document,
only subject to minor corrections II
that be true. / again ask, why should we
not have the full document?
The Constitution" rejoined Senator
Hitchcock. invests the exclusive power
OF negotiations in the President He is
the sole negotiator while the only au-
thority or function of the Senate is that
of giving advice or consent; that is,
ratification. So far as I can discover
on investigation. there has never been
case in our history in which the Sem
ate has called for a copy OF a document
of this kind while in process of negotia-
ton
Even after the Senate has ratified
treaty, the President still has the
power to refuse to put It into effect IL
this were a treaty between the United
States and one other single country,
the President might with propriety
transmit 1t to us, IL he was willing to
do so. But in the present case there
are fifteen or more belligerents with
whom we are associated They have
agreed tentatively on the terms OF this
treaty and have submitted this tenta-
tive draft to Germany for consideration
and with the privilege given to the Ger
man Government OF suggesting changes
or notifications.
I'VE are informed that some changes
suggested by the Germans have already
been acQuiesced in. 1t is quite possible
that others will be. and that the docu-,
ment on which agreement will be
reached finally will be considerably diff
ferent from the one for which this re-
solution asks. 1t is preposterous for the
Senate to interfere by demanding the
publication of the document as it now
stands 1t could only lead to confusion
and complication.
But the President and the Govern