Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-20
SENATE D|SARMED,
OFFICIALS BELIEVE
White House Conference Re-
suits So Regarded by Viii"
son Supporters.
SAY ALL "FACTS" GIVEN
By OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

VII H61 HVuS OuvGIv
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.
A sense of extreme satisfaction
over the results Of the conference be-
tween President Wilson and members
Of the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee at the White House yester-
day pervades administration circles.
Frankly put, officials in close touch
with the President declare that he
has successfully and neatly passed
the buck" to the Senate inasmuch as
he has afforded it opportunity to
question him on every phase of the
peace treaty. and all facts asked for
have been cheerfully given. Senate
can no longer charge that. they labor
in the dark, as the only man con-
yersant with all the details of treaty
framing has refused to reveal fun
light. namely. President Wilson.
Must Take Responsibility.
When Secretary Lansing appeared
before the Senate committee it was
admitted that the head Of the Depart
ment of State was not fully convers-
an. with all the ramifications and de.
tails of agreements effected in Paris.
The Senate committee was dissatis-
fed and complained that it could not
obtain the facts. Opportunity has
been given, senators have gone as FAR
as they liked IN questioning the Pres
ident and the Senate leaders now
are forced to proceed under their
own steam," according to the View
point of admins: ratio!l and league of
nations supporters y
II the senators act in the face of
full light on the facts they aloAA, must
sAriiy being predieated enttfkly, upoa
their own theories and inspired by
their own motives. The, Rreaidsilt
it ID, claimed. 81
!; Though all the facts in regard to the
making Of peace in Paris have been
revealed, in so far az the Senate COM
mittee cared to obtain them, accord
ing to administration supporters, 1t
is az openly stated also that when the
Senate ccTne:; 70 questioning methods
OF negotiation in Paris this is none
Of the senate's business" it being
purely in the realm of the executive.
It is pointed out that in the past all
treaties have been negotiated and
written at executive direction whether
the President was on the spot at the
time. and TO President or no Americans
government or no negotiators ever
have been forced to reveal physical
movements and methods in effecting
final agreements.
Shantung Agreement.
gotiations which have been subject
to attack. principally the Shantung
award, and it is definitely stated that,
although the American government
at the moment feels that 1t is bound
not to reveal the text of understand!
ings reached during the course of the
conferences which commit Japan to
the return OF the Shantung province
OF China. NEVERTHELESS this part of
the negotiations may be revealed
should japan refuse to make the
awards which she has promised and
which the world expects her to make
Until Japan has proved her good faith
or pursued a contrary policy it would
be unwise to do SO. 1T is claimed The
minutes Of the conference when the
Japanese delegates went on record for
their government in the Shantung
matter would only be revealed as
1ustlhcation Tor any course any single
government or the league Of nations
might pursue.
In connection with further light on
the actual proceedings and negotia-
tions. it is pointed out that it will
be impossible for President Wilson
or any other of the American peace
delegates to reveal the procedure and
discussions that went on within the
rooms of the council of ten. council
| of five or the council of foreign min
listers. 1t is pointed out that these
conferences were of such character
as to inspire fullest and frankest
discussion of issues, and at times, it
| is admitted, there was much "elec-
| tricity" in the air.
Open revelation Of these sessions.
ers were not slow to criticize each
other and their respective countries
might not have a good effect on the
! relations Of peoples of the. world In
| fact, it is stated frankly, they would
| be actually dangerous to, future con-
| cord. f-SN
! Furthermore. it is said IL the repre-
sentatives of the powers were not abb
| solutely sure that they could speak
their minds freely and state their
views in open fashion without revela-
ton to the world at large, the con-
ferences never could have been
\ marked by frark discussion upon which
all agreements were predicated
| Possibly the negotiations leading to
| the Japanese promised return OF
\
tion to the general understanding OF
secrecy. and this only in case Japan
| fails to live up to her pledges. And
lin administration circles there is never
| a breath of suspicion that japan does
not intend to do just what she has
stated she will do-guarantee the in
tegrity and sovereignty of China and
| perpetuate the 'open door"
Taken as a whole, therefore, admin
ifstration circles believe that President
Wilson has gone the extreme limit OF
diplomatic propriety in his "confes-
sions" to the Senate foreign relations
committee, ard that. although having
received all facts asked for by the
committee, he cannot go further in
revealing events transporting in the
actual course of negotiations.
Pope Honors William P. Larkin.
/ NEW YORK. August 20.-Arch-
bishop Patrick ]. Hayes of New York