The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-18
The VagTailt Treaty.
Charleston Post.)

Mr.. Root saved everybody q good
deal Of trouble by stepping upon the
witness stand Of the senate foreign re-
lations committee to say that it was
he who showed Senator Lodge q COPY
Of the treaty and to tell how it came
into his hands. 1t came from Mr.
Henry P. Dawson, who, as everybody
knows and should ever remember,
says Mr.. Root, is and was during the
N;c head Of that great organization.
the American Red Cross, whose scr
vice was OF such high order and whose
administration was so ably directed
by Dawson. The treaty was in Nh.
Davison's hands. says Mr.. Root. as
head OF that organization OF mercy
and relief, as il should have been. be-
caase he work Of the organiZt, ion
required that Mr.. Dawson should
know what was going forward IL the
way Of peacemaking and what con-
Gii:ons would have to be faced under
the agreement made by the allies with
Germany. Mr. Dawson then, accord
ing 10 Mr.. Root, was given a copy Of
the text just aS the heads Of other
se1lli-ctic;a! agencies were given them
in Paris. and, there being no particu-
Ia, injunction against The having and
holding Of the treaty, he put it in his
pocket when he left Paris and brought
it 10 New York, where he gave it to
Mr.. Root. All of which appears TO
be proper enough and commendable.
Eut Nh. Ledge cane back to Wash
ington from his meeting with 5.Il'.
Eco; ;:.iG ,t.s,,atad that ;here was q
mighty scan>!a! n the possession CT
copies Ct Che treaty By unauthoriz,:!
parties in New York. saying he rad
p"en shown che of them by g friend
who should be nalneleSs. He had not
thought TO ask his friend how the
copy had reached him, but he conclud-
ed-such is the nature OF friendship
in high Republican circles-that lie
had it from somebody who should
not have had it, unless it had been
slipped to that person by the presi-
dent of the United States while deny
ing possession Of it TO the United
states senate. A word from 1.lr. Roct
to Mr. Lodge would have dispell I'd
that idea, but it would have spoiled
Mr.. Lodges play. There is no rea-
son why Mr. Root shouldn't have said !
that word that anybody can see. Il
Mr. Lodge knew all that Mr.. Root
knew. which was simply that the heal
of the Red Cross had obtained the
istrative work in Paris, he could not
have made his charge of possession !
by pr, ference. But Mr. Lodge stu |
diously avoided that knowledge and, .
therefore. felt himself warranted in
n scandal about the prcsi- /
dent 1t is just the sort Of thing ore .
would expect OF Mr.. Lodge. He con- .
t;nues TO run true to form.
Now -tIr. Dawson comes to the
stard in MS turn, bat rot quite so vol
unfairly as Nh Root. but 10 matter
:or that. He came. He vas head OF t:?e
Red Cross. certainly. and he had the
treaty text in that capacity. Sut ne
would Ge frank with the committee.
&c hadn't obtained the copy Is hea
of the Red Cross. The senator's NAV i
lavc forgotten. III their contemplation
of his distinguished way service as il
recting genius OF that organization.
hat he was also a banker. IN short
partner in the Morgan house. but Mr..
;,tvison hadr't forgotten that fol 4
single minute. t!c never forse;s tha.
le is :, banker. Md rs 4 banker
out not in any thought for his oivn
interests certainly no;. but on bch1,f
,f. well OF the American people nc;
o speak OF the people OF the wnole t
had thoush; be ought 20
tudy out thc question Of financial
Conditions under thc treaty. and to
hat end be needed Il copy Of that {
iocuMcn; He uight have gone up {
o the secretary OF State or even to t
he president and asked for one. but
lo didn't. III, asked another Nor