The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-04-15
THE TREATY MUST BE PUBLIC.

There are many aspects of the peacemaking process
Paris whcsh provoke widespread criticism and arouse
apprehension both rides of the Atlantic The feelings
Of the allied peoples differ of course according their
national interest but all CT them voice complaint against
The effort to prevent them from knowing what their dele
gates at Paris are doing and committing their govern
nents to do.
Against prudent retccnce and secrecy in compar
ing views the public has right to complain. Unless
the allies agree upon the peace terms there can be no
peace. Therefore whea excited demands made that
members of the press should be admitted to all meet
ngs of the peace delegates The Post attempted to show
that the demands nadmssable. The allied nations
did not know what their demands would be- and they could
know until they had exchanged views with their allies
These views could only be exchanged in confidence If
publicity had attended them each nation would have been
constrained express its demands derenty alter the
nature of them to fit the state of the public temper and
to keep the enemy in the dark Thus, it seemed to u.s.
there of compelling character which re-
CURED the peace conferees to exchange views in privacy
The imposition of terms upon the enemy, however is
different proposition The that required secrecy
is absent as the allies have agreed among them
selves An exactly different rule should then be adopted
the rule of full publicityin order that the peoples
may know eavcty what is proposed and whether it is in
accordance with their vital interests If they approve the
peace conferees mmeasuraby strengthened, and if
they disapprove the conerees be prevented in time
from making the fatal bunder of concluding peace that
IS Objectionable to the victors
There should he decentralization about this al-im-
portant question of public scrutiny of the terms in ad
of actual conclusion of peace. If the con-
ferees should persist in attempt to keep the terms
until after the Germans have signed the treaty. they
will great risk of nfamng popular anger. The signs
If protest all too In France the senate
md chamber of deputies ahve made specific demands
They represent the people In England majority of the
house of also makes specific demands. In the
United States the word has gone forth that treaty i'm
pairing the independence of the United States enang
ing the government in European politics will not be rat
fed.
The peace conference has not handled properly its
atoms with the public 1t has been much less frank than
he generals who fought the war. The bulletins
lear regular and truthful. The conference bulletins
obscure that the impression conveyed is untruthu
Making allowances for the of keeping the enemy in
he dark pending actual DECISIONS there is still for
great Improvement in the conference communques.
What is open diplomacy? 1t is not the swinging open
If the doors of conference rooms thereby nsurng bed
lam of confusion instead of orderly process. 1t is the
aithful execution of the peoples will by their represen
atves free conference with the representatives of the
lilies followed by truthful and complete report to the
PEOPLE and the approval disapproval by the people of
he work of their servants If the do not report
hey become and not servants. In the old days
# diplomacy these servants did report to the
people, but shued the people about like herds of sheep
That method of disposing of human beings was de-
royed in the CONFUSION which ended the lives of millions
If men fighting for liberty The fight not vain. The
re nations that have put end to secret diplomacy will
lot go into blndold peace with Germany. They will
beforehand what their servants at Paris propose
he best plan to pursue If the plan does not suit the
de- it will be rejected That is the fixed resolve of the
people of France Great Britain, Italy and Japan.
As aecng the United States there is way in which
he paper be made treaty without the previous
my and approval of the people Promises made at Paris
IRE not good until countersgned at Washngton.-W
ngton Post,