New-York tribune., 1919-08-07
Tells Senate Committee
Article X Leaves Inter-
vention Question to Indi-
vidual Membersof League
Defends Wilson's Work
Declares Treaty as a Whole
Substantially Carries Out
Presidents Ia Points
By Carter Field
New Yori- Tribune
lIoshinUton Bureau

the Shantung section, Secretary o
State Robert Lansing, the first Of tn
American peace commissioners to sub
nit TO public questioning, told the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee to
day.
China would have signed had Shan
tung been left out. he added, so that tn,
net result OF inserting this section was
TO lose one signatory to the treaty.
Outstanding features of the ll-day
questioning OF the Secretary OF State
were:
Senator'S were surprised at the
lack of knowledge profcsscd by Nh.
Lansing as TO what went on in Paris.
He pleaded ignorance in reply to ap-
proximately nine of each ten ques-
tions asked HIM. He revealed that
the President had consulted virtually
no one in the American delegation
except Colonel House. Mr. Lansing
said he had never read the minutes
Of the league of nations commission.
Concurred in Bliss Letter
The Secretary admitted he and
Henry White had concurred in the
letter written to the President by
General Bliss objectng to the Shan
tung section. He never talked with
Colonel House about this.
He said he had opposed and that
the President had cabled to Premier
Clemenceau opposing giving the min
utes of the league Of nations COM
mission to the French Chamber of
Deputies. on the ground that it might
prove irritating to "other nations"
He thought neither the Senate nor
the people of America should have
this information.
Senator Lodge indicated after the
hearing that the Senate must have
this information before it could pro-
ceed with the consideration of the
treaty.
Several Democratic Senators said
Mr.. Lansings testimony had done the
treaty charm that will be irreparable
unless the President himself comes
forward with information that will
meet the objections"
Mr.. Lansing's own Interpretation
Of Article X is that it leaves abso-
luteiy to the discretion of each ma
ton whether that nation will act to
punish an offender against the league
He had never discussed Article X
with the President and declined to
say which of the Presidents inter
pretations, that of May 8, that of
July 10 or that of July 20, most faith
fully expressed Mr. Wilson's views.
Ask the President" he said, 81 can
not intcrpretc his language"
Wilson Blocked Costa Rica
President Wilson alone blocked the
admission of Costa Rica TO the peace
conference, the only nation which had
declared war against Germany that
was barred. No one proposed the ad-
MISSION of Mexico, which did not de-
clare war or sever relations.
Mr.. Lansing thought the fourteen
points had been lived up to sub
stantially. including "open covenants
OF peace openly arrived at" Free
dom of seas" he said, was not raised
republican as well as Democratic
Senators had expected Secretary Ian
sing to be in position to give them
great deal of information to clean
up points which have been causing
disputes in the Senate. They asserted
that through the failure of the Presi-
dent to consult with the Secretary o,
even 10 inform him after the Prcsi
dent had acted in most instances, that
Mr.. Lansing did not prove as valuable
witness even as Bernard NJ Raruch 0,
Norman Davis. They said Mr.. Lansing
was qualified to talk on only one sub
Ject-the actions of the commission, OF
which ne was a member, which me-
TO determine the response bility for The
war, including the question whether
the Kaiser Sho aid be tried. The con
clusion of this commission did no
meet Mir. Lansng's views, he holdin1
that it might not be possible to con
wet the Kaiser on evidence, but tha
he should be punished as was Ma
poleon.
To Appear Again Monday
The Secretary's usual answer wa!
81 don't know varied at times by :"
can't answer that and II had no
heard of that"
AT the conclusion of the hearing h,
was eager to submit answers to oucs
tons he had promised to look up il
writing. SO as TO avoid a further ap
pearance before the committee. Chair
man Lodge, however, smihngly replict
that the committee certainly woult
want to hear him, and he could reat
his answers, if he desired to put then
be able to have his answers in shane
by Monday, when the hearing will b,
resumed.
Some of the points on which tn,
committee sought information and or
which Secretary Lansing was unabl.
to enlighten it follow:
"Who drafted the American plan o.
the league of nations ,uvenant?"
81 don't know | heard it said thu
President did"
Gould you tell US any feature distin
gushing the American plan from Tho
plan adopted? ?"
II could not. 1t was long tim,
ago when the President read us The
American draft"
did you know Of the secret trcatic:
between Japan and Great Britain ant
France when you negotiated the lshi
Lansing agreement?"
II would have to look that up.'
Later in the day to the same question
Mr.. Lansing admitted he did not know
of the secret treaties at that time.
"Did China make protest agains
the Lansing lshii agreements"
Il should have to look that up"
What character of discussion ovc1
the league covenant caused you tt
think it inadvisable to make the rec
ords public ?"
II was not a member of that com
mission. | never read the minutes. M,
comment was general"
Says "Ask the President"
"Why is not the protest on Shan.
tung agreed to by you and Henry
White. and signed by General Bliss
available for the committee ~
"Ask the President
why do we sign the treaties with
Bulgaria and Turkey, against which
we did not declare war;"
NIha President dnnnfnd Il nncnssa III