Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-11
ROOT LAYS BARE
TREATY LEAK TO
SENATE PROBERS
Former Secretary of State
Tells Committee Red Cross
Chief Brought 1t Over
DEFENDS ITS PUBLICITY
Resents Suggestion of Being
Possessor of Stolen Goods;
Lodge Saw Root Copy
By Associated Press.

y
Elihu Root to-day told the
Senate Foreign Relations
Committee that it was he who
showed a copy of the Peace
Treaty to Senator Lodge. Mr..
Root testified that he got it
kfrom Henry P. Dawson of the
Morgan banking house.
Mr.. Dawson testified that he
got it from Thomas w. Lamont,
another partner in the Morgan
house, one of the financial adj
visers to the American Peace Mis-
sion in Paris, but asked for it not
in his capacity as a banker, but as
| president of the International Red
Cross League which is backed by the
covenant of the League of Nations.
]. P. Morgan and Frank A. VAN
derlip testified they had never seen
copies of the treaty. The committee
then adjourned the hearing for the
day.
Schin Knows Nothing
Chairman Lodge read telegram
from Jacob Schiff, saying he knew
absolutely nothing, directly or indi-
rectly," regarding the Treaty. He
then called Mr.. Root to the chair.
"I have a copy of that so-called
Treaty, have had it for several
weeks" Mr.. Root said. 1T was sent
to me by H. P. Dawson. 1 stand
upon my right to have it. assert
the entire propriety of his giving il
to me. He had it because of his le-
gitimate interests in the Red Cross
involved in the treaty" ,.,-
| Mr.. Root said he understood Mr.
Dawson had the copy in Paris in con-
nection with Red Cross affairs and
brought ii away with him, there being
| at that time no injunction against
bringing copies to the United States. v
Becomes Public Property
Mr. Root remarked that the German
government had made the treaty pub.
lie in detail. adding:
"It thereupon became public property
There are two parties to the negotia
tions. Either party has the right tc
make it public. No longer can any
diplomatic secrecy attach. The Ger
man government having the full rrigh
to make public this paper made i
public and it is public.
IT should be inclined to resent AM
suggestion from anybody that l an
not entitled to it and to use 1t as
see fit which l propose to do.
"Mr Davisons possession was nj
matter of idle curiosity, but of officia
duty on the part of the man who Ii
abandoning his great business and Civ
ing his great powers to organization
and execution of the great Red Cros
activities"
"Then l gather" Senator Knox in
teriected. that you do not conside
yourself in possession of stolen goods
obtained by bribery, as has beel
charged en- the Senate fioorT'
Nothing More Baseless
'I feel a sense of strong resentmen
to repel such a suggestion from an!
source" Mr.. Root answered. Moth
ing could be made baseless than sucl
A suggestion"
There was nothing material in tn,
copy I had not seen in the papers,
Mr.. Root added. He said he believed
secrecy was not imposed until afte
MIR. Dawson left Paris.
''I think you will find that the mel
who left Paris before May Is al
brought their copies with them" HI
said Probably two or three thousand
men. he added were engaged in draw
ing the complete terms.
MIR. Root said he was obliged to Mr.
Dawson because he was deeply inter
ested in a topic II was more convenien
to study from the printed copy. HI
thought the United States had 1.40t
men on the payroll at Paris and o.
those probably 200 or 900 had copies
of the treaty.
Agrees With Borah
1--WE have contended that the Sen
ate is entitled to a copy" said Sena'
tor Borah.
"Do you regard that as a correct
position?'
'I do. 1 think every American citi
zen was entitled TO see a copy of the
paper made public by the German gov
ernment."
Senator Harding remarked thai
some newspapers were saying the
treaty text did not correspond in some
respects with the summary
"I didn't notice anything which
thought especially important which wal
not in the summary" replied Mr.. Root
| The copy he saw was dated April
80 and bore the imprint of Home La.
Dor Organization"
Thinks No Damage Done
do you think" asked Senator
Brandegee. "any damage was done to
the negotiations of the treaty by its
publication in the Congressional Rec
ord?"
IT think no damage could have been
DONE" replied Mr.. Root. unless 1t was
through Withdrawing the attention OF
the Senate from the various other Inn
portant matters awaiting action"
| When Mr.. Root was asked IL he
thought President Wilson had acted