Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-11
Former Secretary Got
1t From Henry P.
Dawson of Red
Cross.
GIVES OPINION OF
WILSON ATTITUDE
MIR. Dawson Tesh6es That I. ".
Lamont Was Source of
Document.

Document.
Former Senator E1ihu Root Of New
York, appearing unexpectedly before
the Senate foreign relations commit
tee today, testified that 1t was he
who showed a copy of the peace
treaty to Senator Lodge.
Mr.. Root testified that he got 1t
from Henry P. Dawson Of the Nor
gan banking house.
Sought It as Red Cross Man.
Mr.. Dawson testified that he got it
from Thomas W. Lamont, another
partner in the Morgan house, one OF
the financial advisers to the American
peace mission in Paris. but asked for
it, not in his capacity as banker.
but as president of the International
Red Cross League, which is backed
by the covenant of the league of ma
tons.
j. p. Morgan testified that he had
never seen a copy of the treatySana
president of the National City Bank
Mr. Dawson testified he has shown
it to no one but Mr.. Root.
president Within Rights"
During an hours testimony in the
witness chair Mr.. Root said he
thought President Wilson was within
his constitutional rights in not send
ing the treaty to the Senate, put
thought it perfectly legitimate Tor the
ell Co. Of
published by the German government.
He gave 1t as his opinion that the
President was within his rights IN moi
consulting the Senate more freely on
the negotiations. but thought 1t would
have facilitated a solution had that
been done.
Mr.. Root saw nothing improper in
Mr.. Dawson having copy OF the
treaty
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Vanderiips
testimony the committee ended the
hearing for the day and went INTO
executive session.
Chairman Lodge. at the opening of
the hearing, read telegram from
Jacob Schiff, saying he know "abso.
1utely nothing directly or indirectly
regarding the treaty. and then called
Mr.. Root to the witness chair, ex-
planning that he appeared voluntarily
and had requested to be heard.
mI. 0OOt GApAnAhSs
qualification of the desire Of the
committee to learn how copies of the
treaty reached this country" said Mr.;
Root in be<;ia'ii'-~ his statement, led
me to feel it was proper. If not a
duty. for .s;n - Conie- here and give
the committee certain knowledge on
that subject which / have.
treaty: have had it for several weeks.
1t was sent me by H. p. Dawson.
chairman of the International Red
Cross League. i stand upon my right
to have it. l assert the entire pro-
priety of his giving it to me. He had
it because of his legitimate interests
In the Red Cross. involved in the
treaty"
Mr. Root said he understood Mr.
Dawson had the copy in Paris in con-
brought it away with him, there
being at that time no injunction
against bringing copies to the United
States"
tinued Mr.. Root Parts of 1t. notably
the covenant of the league of nations.
had been published"
Became Public Property"
Mr. Root remarked that the Ger
man government had made the treaty
public in detail. adding:
1t thereupon became public prop
erty. There are two parties to the
negotiations. Either party has the
right to make 1t public. No longer
can any diplomatic secrecy attach.
The German government having the
full right to make public this paper.
made it public, and it is public"
Il should be inclined to resent any
suggestion from anybody" Mr.. Root
added sharply. that / am not en-
titled to it and to use it as see fit.
which L propose to do"
Mr.. Davison's Possession.
Referring to the Red Cross work Of
Mr.. Dawson and his own interest in
the Red Cross. Mr.. Root said:
Mr.. Davison's possession was no
matter of idle curiosity, but of Of
fetal duty on the part of the man
who is abandoning his great business
and giving his great powers to or
ganization and execution of the great
Red Cross activities, and he has con-
ferred inestimabIe benefit upon the
country with credit to himself"
Then l gather" Senator Knox in
terjected, that you do not consider
yourself in possession of stolen goods.
obtained by bribery. as has been
charged on the Senate fioor?''
7 repel any suggestion" Mr.. Root
replied with some show of feeling II
feel a sense Of strong resentment to
Tepei suCn a suggestion from any
source. Nothing could be more base
less than such a suggestion
Il don't understand that I'm here
TO repel any such charge and Iresent
deeply having to repel it," added Mr..
Root.
Mr.. Davison's Services.
I say Mr.. Dawson, with an I'M
selfish devotion beyond all praise, had
FOR two years been putting at the
service of'the country an ability and
a labor We cannot be too grateful for.
And. while still in Europe. after two
years of that service. il became his
duty to become familiar with relation
to the position the Red Cross was to
assume to the world. position super
seding in all likelihood the Geneva
convention.
Il was deeply obliged to him be-
cause l was deeply interested in some
topic which il was more convenient
10 study from a printed copy"
He added there was nothing mate
>!al in the copy he had not seen in
che papers.
Sharp Exchanges Aroused.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska. rank
ing democrat of the committee, recalled
that the inquiry was ordered to look
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