Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-05
TREATYLEAK
PROBE
INC0NCRESS
Sen. Hitchcock Assails
Lodge and Borah and
Demands Inquiry.

Washington, June 5.-The leak in
diplomatic channels through which
it has been charged that texts of
the unpublished peace treaty with
Germany reached certain interests
in New York was the subject of an
other stormy debate in the senate
today.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
ranking Democrat of the foreign re-
lations committee, in calling up mis-
resolution for a senate investiga-
tion of all facts in the case, declar-
ed the statements of Senators
Lodge of Massachusetts, and Borah
of Idaho, Republican members of
the committee regarding the pres
ence Of copies in New York consti-
tuted a ''monstrous charge"
Not Made in Public Interest.
If this charge had been made in
the interests of the public, he said,
and not merely in order to attack
the treaty, the senators making it
would have demanded senatorial
investigation. The statement drew
sharp replies from both Mr.. Lodge
and Mr.. Borah.
Il presume" said Mr.. Hitchcock,
that there will be no substantial
objection to this proposal. 1t is a
matter of the most tremendous
urgency that investigation should
be had of charges made upon the
responsibility of two senator's that
copies of the treaty have fallen into
the hands of New York interests
while being withheld from the SEN
ate of the United States.
Put Selves in Bad Position.
The request for this investigation
should have been made by the SEN
ators who Iugged into the Senate
this serious charge. They do not ap-
pear to realize the embarrassing
position in which they placed
themselves by not asking an in
vestigation-"
A declaration by the Nebraska
senator that Senators Lodge and
Borah had "insinuated that the
president permitted copies to go to
business concerns in New York
CITY," brought Mr.. Lodge at once to
his feet.
81 said nothing whatever about
financial interests" asserted the
Massachusetts senator.
1T is possible" replied Mr..
Hitchcock, that there may be some
difference between the positions of
the two senators in that respect.
They concurred, however, in their
attack
Attack on President.
This charge involves an attack
on the president of the United
States of the most scandalous ma
ture. 1t apepars to be a new chap
ter in the attack on the treaty it
self. 1t is a monstrous charge. Men
who make such a charge owe it to
the public to demand investigation
and they would have demanded in
vestigation if they had been making
it in the public interest and not for
the purpose of hurting the treaty"
Senator Hitchcock declared that
If New York interests had treaty
copies, they apparently are in
closer communication with enemies
of the treaty than with friends of
the treaty"
holU StOIcu UOO0S.
"If he held the treaty in his
shouted Senator Hitchcock.
referring to Senator Lodges state
ment as made in the senate, ''he
held stolen goods; goods probably
secured by bribery; goods which
the American representatives prom
ised not to make public. 1t is
strong statement for senator of
the United States to make-that
the president is Withholding copies
Of the treaty and allowing it to go
somewhere else"
Senator Williams, Democrat of
referred to the refusal
Of George Washington to furnish
the house of representatives with
copy of a treaty, to which Sena-
tor Borah, Republican, of Idaho,
Why quote George Washington?
You have repudiated all of his doc
trines"
Time for Investigation.
Il say the time has come for an
Investigation" said Senator Hitch
cock, resuming, 81 want to know
what interests the Massachusetts
senator has been talking to and
how those interests got into pos
session of the treaty.
Senator Lodge said the senate
was only asking for a public docu-
nent and that he would be delight
ed ito have the Hitchcock resolu-
ion passed"
He added he had endeavored to
nave the auditing company expe-
lite it's consideration, but had found
hat the Nebraska senator in his
hurried haste" had not had the
referred to the commit
zee, but allowed it to remain in the
senate after being introduced yes
,erday.
The senator finds fault that we
lid not carry on an investigation
n New York" Senator Lodge con-
inued. 81 am not aware that we