The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1919-06-11

Root In beginning his statement, lied
me 70 feel II was proper, II not duty.
for me 10 come here and give the
committee certain knowledge on that
knbject which have.
VET have a copy Of that so-called
treaty. have had II for several weeks
II wes sent TO me by n. P. Dawson.
chairman OF the international Red
Cross League. stand upon my right
20 have Il. assert the entire pro-
priety OF his giving II to me. He had
Il because Of his legitimate interests
IN the Red Cross, involved In the
treaty"
Mr.. Root said he understood Mr..
Dawson had the copy IN Parts In con-
nection with the RED Cross affairs
and brought II away with him. there
being at that time no Injunction
against bringing copies to the United
States"
1T was not a secret document" con-
tinued Mr.. Root: parts OF IT, notably
she covenant Of the League of Ma
lions, had been published"
DEFENDS DAWSON FOR GIVING
OUT THE TREATY
Referring TO the Red Cross work of
Mr.. Dawson and his own interest in
the Rcd Cross. Mr.. Root said:
Mr.. Davison's possession was no
matter OF idle curiosity. but OF orfi-
ulal duty on the part OF the man who
"a abandoning hH great business and
eiving his great powers to organiHA-
ton and execution OF the great Red
cross activities and he has conferred
inestimable benefit on the country
with credit to himself"
Then 1 gather" Senator Knox
fnterjected. that you do not con-
sider yourself in possession OF stolen
goods, obtained by bribery. as has
been charged on the Senate fioor?"
if.T repel any suggestion" Mr.. Root
replied with some show OF feeling.
II feel a sense Of strong resentment
10 ropel such q suggestion from any
source. Nothing could be more base
less than such n suggestion"
FOUND NOTHING NEW IN FULL
TEXT OF TREATY.
Senator Williams asked Root II he
found differences between the treaty
and the summary.
The only parts l compared were
the middle sections dealing with Ger
many" Root explained. Il found
nothing there that had not been
cogniEant Of before"
Senator Hitchcock OF Nebraska,
ranking Democrat OF the Committee,
pointed out that the inquiry was or
dered to look into charges by Sen
ators Lodge and Borah. He read the
remarks by the two Senators in the
senate, quoting Mr.. Borah's state
ment that interests peculiarly In
terested" had copies. A discussion
among committee members and sew
eral sharp exchanges followed.
senator Lodge said Senator Hitch
cock had charged In the Senate that
the copy he (Mr. LodgeD had seen was
ODlalned ON 'DFlDeTy ana cOTTupllOn.
"As a matter Of fact" said Senator
Lodge. "the copy l saw was the one
shown me by Mr.. Root
Resenting suspicious" which he said
had been directed at American finan-
ciers because OF an interest IN the
treaty. Root said:
Vastly important financial cues
tions are involved in the treaty. Mar
kets for American productions are Ia
volVed NOBODY but a lunatic would
try 20 make such a treaty without tue
aid OF financial experts"
Senator Brandegee. Republican,
Connecticut. asked whether Mr.. Root
thought there was anything wrong
about a banker taking a copy OF
the treaty II he saw one. In order to
inform himself about the financial
terms"
BANKERS HAVE RIGHTS AS
WELL As THE PUBLIC.
Il can't see that n banker has any
moro or less right 10 steal paper
Than any one else" replied Mr.. Root,
"but when a paper is public. he has
as much right TO II as any one else"
Mr.. Root said he believed secrecy
was not imposed until after Mr..
Dawson left Paris.
II think YOU viii find" said Root
"that the men who left Paris before
Aay IS all brought their copies with
them"
Probably two or three thousand