New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
journalists
Saved Wilson's
First "Point'
Correspondents Stood for
''Open Covenants, Open
ly Arrived Att by Meeting
BY Frederick Moore
Now Yori Tribune
Wuskar1ton Bureau

Copyright, 1919, New York Tribune Inc)
PARIS, Jan. 20. The American Com
mission holds that the first of the four
teen points-'open covenants, openly
~ Ssssrrtyed Z. at~sss--shase4not been sacrificed.
But 1t seems to have been only the
vigorous protest of the British and
American correspondents that caused a
reconsideration of the agreement
among the five powers delegates last
Wednesday to divulge no news except
IN single official communique to be is
sued each day by the secretary Of the
lnter-Allied Conference. And | under
| stand that it was the plan to divulge
nothing IN that daily communicate
whereto any representation objected,
and the commissions were pledged to
divulge nothing further in private.
Such programme would have made
the conference secret and certainly
would have been contrary to point No.
/. but the correspondents immediate
protest caused the fve-p power confer
ence to ask the correspondents on
Thursday for suggestions.
Journalists Agree on Demand
The interAllied journalists imme
dlately foregathered in joint session.
and the British, Americans and Italians
were able to agree on Friday in de-
manding the presence Of not fewer than
five reporters from each of the five
powers at the conference sittings and
smaller number for minor states, or,
in other words, that there was to be
the same representation of reporters
proportionately as of official delegates
at the conference.
The five powers official reply no
doubt has reached America textually.
They agreed to newspaper representa-
tion-the numbers to be fixed later
at open and full sessions, but declared
the necessity of meetin in carera and
IN committee. They evidently adhered
to the agreement that delegations
should not be at liberty to divulge the
positions taken by their respective
delegations III closed sessions. .
There are many views among both
delegates and correspondents regard
ing this important question of publici-
-
the American delegates stand for the
nearest possible approach for open
diplomacy and the British stand for q
modlcum thereof.
Wilson Favored Compromise
The compromise was undoubtedly
agreed tc by President Wilson in the
interests of harmony, Continental
premiers being unaccustomed to Ameri-
can and British libety of press and un-
willing to agree to open discussions
and the entire termination of censor
ship, but the British could, it is be-
lieyed, have been brought to an entire
ly American opinion if the Americans
had stood firm.
1t now remains to be seen how far
the delegates will go in attempting to
maintain secrecy, for it would be an
easy matter for them to close all but
the sessions wherein fiattering cpeeches
like those OF the opening session We're
delivered. There are obviously DIFF
ferences of view existing between the
delegates but these differences to which
| have listened much since have been
here have never seemed serious to ME.
The. situation is not dangerous, for ex-
ample, between the British and the
other powers on the question of the
freedom of the seas, nor between France
and the other powers on the necessary
protection of France from the perman-
ent menace of ninety million Germans.
nor between Italy and the other powers
over the Adriatic, nor between America
and the other powers over league of
nations. But even men have stated
that men are human and the manner
IN which they develop their schemes in
camera are dangerous, as they often
develop rivalry and hostilities among
themselves which would be curbed and
controlled if they were required To ey-
pose their views and opinions 10 the
hmelight Of public opinion.
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