The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-14
President Cables He Could Not
Send Copy-Borah Presents
One From Newspaper Man
BIG sFINANCIERS
CALLED TO TESTIFY
Whirlwind Of Developments Fol-
low, Including Hot Debates
and Futile Efforts to Balk
Publicity Plans.


ate today got copy Of the peace
treaty and after five-hour fight or
dered. it printed in the public record.
AT the same time il got under way
the investigation of how copies have
reached private hands in New York
by summoning to testify half dozen
OF the coantry'S leading flnanciers.
The copy which went into the rec
ord was brought to this country by a
newspaper man and was presented by
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho.
just after the reading of a cablegram
from President Wilson saying he could
not without breaking faith send to
the senate the text Of the treaty.
The effect of the days history-mak-
on the much debated subject of pub
heity for the treaty text, to widen
the breach between the president and
the senate majority and to forecast
a sensational turn for the inquiry
into the manner by which copies pi
the document have become available
to unauthorized persons.
Starting its investigation with an
unexpected vigor. the foreign relations
committee within a half hour after
it convened voted to call before it j.
P, Morgan, H. P. Dawson and Thomas
". Lamont all OF the Morgan bank
ing house; Jacob Schiff. of Kuhn.
Loeb & Co.. and Paul Warburg. for
nerly connected with the same con-
eern, and Frank A. Vanderlip, former
president of the National City Bank.
It then examined Frank L. Polk. a"--
ing Secretary of State about the OF
cial copies m>stile State department
vaults
Statements also were made to the
committee by Senator Lodge Repuo-
1ican of Massachusetts,, and Senator
Borah similar to their declaration IN
the senate that they knew Of copies
in New York, but could not divulge
the names Of their informants.
When the. senate met it listened in
silence to President Wilson's cable
gram, which was taken as forecast
ing a refusal to comply with the re
quest for the treaty text embodied IN
a resolution adopted Friday. The read
ing Of this message concluded. SEN
ator Borah Immediately presented ms
copy Of the treaty, which was or
dered printed by, vote of AZ to "a.
Later however, there was motion
to reconsider and parliamentary
tangie developed which endangered
publication Of the treaty To circum-
vent such possibility the Idaho Sea
~
reading the hundred thousand-word
document and continued for an hour
despite many protests from the pres
1dent's supporters.
The effort to prevent publicat ton
collapsed. the motion to reconsider
was voted down and the fight which
had developed many bitter charges Of
broken faith and in some respects
had written a new chapter in senate
history was over.
The first of the days series Of sur
prises came when the foreign relations
committee, whose meetings in years
bast have been surrounded by the
closest secrecy, threw open it doors
to the public 1t developed then that
instead of pursuing the usual method
OF appointing subcommittee TO make
the inquiry, the full body proposed 10
participate and to begin forthwith.
Senator Borah was called on first
to-.anplify his statements in the SEN
ate about treaty copies in New York.
He said that early in March he be-
came convinced the international
bankers of New York were particC ar
ly interested in creation Of the league
of nations and that he quietly began
an investigation.
81 aseertained." he told the commit
tee, .'that practically all the interna-
tienal bankers were deeply interested
in the league and We're assisting in
promoting its adoption by this coun-
try. I became convinced. too. that
these gentlemen were interested in
promotion of the league Of nations for
private reasons.
Under questioning. the Idaho sem
ator added he had obtained this in
formation. together with the knowl-
edge that copy of the treaty was in
New York. from sources which he
could not reveal. He then suggested
the calling of Messrs. Morgan, Davi-
son. Lamont. Warburg and Schiff
saying he connected with hhs ex-
tstence Of treaty copies in New York
nby combination Of circumstances
only
The name of Mr. vanderlip was
added on the list on suggestion of Sen
ators Williams. Democrat. of Mississip'
pi and the subpoenaes were ordered
unanimously on the motion Of Senator
Hitchcock. Of Nebraska. senior Demo
erat of the committee who introduced
the resolution authorizing the inquiry
On the motion Of Senator Fall. Repub
.lican. of New Mexico. the committee
by unanimous vote also invited MIR
Polk TO appear before it
Senator Lodge next made state
ment saving that he too had derive'
his information about treaty copie
from sources he could not reveal n
had been shown the document by
friend. he said, and had never hear'
Of the treaty being in the hands o
financial interests He continued tina