The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-09


tary OF state Mr. Lansing is a
secretary who states nothing.
The senate, having questioned him
about the peace negotiations, Is
just as wise as it was before.
Mr.. Lansing told the senators
what they might have surmised---
that the president has the facts
about the treaty and will probably
keep them. So If the senate
doesn't like it it may lump 1t.
Beyond the statement that Mr..
Wilson's fourteen points didn't
get past the threshold OF the hall
of mirrors, the testimony of the
secretary Of state was charm
ing essay on how best to say moth
ing at all. He denied that he and
other members protested against
the Shantung arrangement, and
left the impression that, save for
Mr. Wilson, not one member OF
the American peace delegation
knew what was going on.
Far from being able to disclose
any information relative to the
peace discussions, Mr.. Lansing,
by his very adroitness, made the
startling revelation that the only
copy Of the discussions is In
Paris; happily left by the Ameri-
can delegation outside the juris-
diction of the United States SEN
ate. Did the president have
premonition that the senators
might want to take him at his
word on his policy of "open cove
nants openely arrived at" and in
quire into the motives which in
spired such dealings as the Shan
tung cession? And did he fore
stall such a design by leaving
"the papers" in Paris?
In order that the senate may
not feel unaccompanied in it's
isolation it was told that the
French senate also has been
denied access to the reports of
the conference. Reasoning from
these facts, it hardly requires
second sight to establish the
business Of the senate's position in
suggesting that behind the peace
treaty and the covenant there are
bargainings which an honest and
hoping world ought to know about.
One reads with almost smile
the credulity Mr.. Lansing pro-
fesses when he relates that the
Anglo French American treaty
may not have been Mr.. Wilson's
project, but that he first heard 1t
from HIM" AS well allege that
France, first in the battle line and
inf To- 10 10 ~
enough to realize its continuing
danger and the need for armies
and alliances.
Mr.. Lansing need not have ad-
mitted that the fourteen points
went into the discard. His state
ment that the senate ought not
have the Paris discussions be-
cause ut might irritate other ma
tions" is sufficient to indicate
that while the people fought the
war rulers made peace. Thus
comes an entirely acceptable con-
clusion, which is that only the
heads of delegations know the
inside workings of the Versailles
conference.
Mr.. Lansing admitted he does
not know. Senators. by calling
necessarily for information, pro
TESS that they do not know. Yet
the president insists upon an I'M
abridged peace as made by him.
Who is the state?
Throughout Mr. Lansing's I'M
edifying discourse there was a
most remarkable reluctance to
come out boldly with facts, a
tactful curvetting and pirouet-
ting here and there out Of the
zone of troublesome disclosure.
Mr. Wilson has shown reluct.
ance all along. His attitude is
reflected in that of the secretary
of state, who is his spokesman
in this contingency. The senate