The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-27
Tells Lodge He Will Delva
for Pact Documents He /
"Can Supply"
FOGGY ON INDEMNITY,
Presidents Letter Doesn't
Say What U. s. Gets or
How Sum Is Divided.
A THREAT ON SHANTUNG
Report President Will Publish
Agreements If Japan Ig-
nores Request. (
Special De.potcA TO rrn sus.

WASHINGTON, July 26.-President
Wilson sent to-day to Senator Lodge
(Mass.) letter which indicates thar
the various requests of the Senate for
| information may be complied with
later. The President does not say this
explicitly, but In connection with an
other matter writes this intimation.
explaining that since his return from.
Paris It has not been possible to com-
ply with all inquiries for information.
He did not bring back with him a
complete file Of documents; and those
he did bring constitute such a mass
that it has not yet been possible to
sort and arrange them as would be
necessitated in complying with the in-
| quiries of the Senate.
The Presidents letter was written
primarily in response to letter which
opens a new feature of the treaty dis
cussion. Article 237 of the Peace
Treaty provides that Germany is to
pay 10000, 900, 900 gold marks ($S,ooo.-
0oo,ooo) whereof the successive install
ments ARE to be divided by the asso.
cieted and allied Powers in proportions
which have been determined by them
in advance. on the basis of equity and
the rights OF each"
| During its study Of the treaty the
Foreign Relations Committee became
interested in this provision. 1t wanted
to know whether any Of this indem-
nifty, when distributed. was to ccrne
to the United States. and IT, not how
it was to be parcelled out.
Senator Lodge. without special di.
rection. but with the understanding OF
the committee. wrote to the President
asking for enlightenment. This letter
was sent on July % and the Presi-
dents response was forwarded to-day.
| Wilson's Letter to Lodge.
The President has not been informed
whether the Powers have agreed on
the distribution plan, he states; and
then gives his explanation about de.
lays in answering other requests for
information. The letter follows,
! THE WHITE HOUSE
| M Dear Senator: In response to
your letter of July 22, requesting
me on behalf of the COMMITTEES ON
Foreign Relations to send to the
committee the agreement referred
TO In Article 237 of the treaty with
Germany In the event that such an
agreement has been determined
upon by the allied and associated
Governments, 1 would say that SO
Tar as / know such an agreement
has not yet been reached. As
recollect the business, an attempt
was being made to reach such an
agreement, but I have not yet
learned of an agreement having
been arrived at.
May I not add, with regard TO
other requests which l have re-
ceived from the committee for
papers and information OF various
sorts, that,I was not able to bring
from Paris a complete file of .
papers. / brought with me only q
those which happened to be in my
hands when left France. These
alone constitute considerable
mass Of papers, and have been
going over them as rapidly as time
and my engagements permitted.
and must beg the committees in
diligence for the delay in informing
them which I can supply them
with.
1t is observed that the Presidentas
courteous allusion to information that
had been asked OF him does not con-
tain a promise that he will comply
with the various requests. He has
not all the documents here at this
time, and he is going through such as
he has. to determine which / oAn
supply them with" This is not q
promise to supply all OF them, but
rather implies a reservation that It
may not be possible to forward ell
that have been asked.
President May ForestaII Japan.
1t developed to-day. according to in
formation circulated az the Senate.
that unless japan makes public the
agreements and notes dealing with the
Shantung settlement that were sub
mitted at Paris. they may be made
public by the President himself.
The story, fo, which there n the
highest authority. Is that the Presi-
dent has had The State Department
convey TO japan his wish that the Toe
kio Government shall publish these
matters. and thus clear up the Shan
tung situation before the worldi and
that along with this request went the
suggestion that II the Toxic Govern
ment did not feel at liberty to pub
lish these matters he tthe Prestdent)
might DO So
There was another development 20