The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-12
SECRET ACTSOF
WILSON SCORED
by BRANDEGEE
Connecticut Senator Says
Report on Chinese Railway
Problem Is Suppressed.
AFFECTS sHANTUNG CASE
Authenticity Of Signatures on
Documents From White
House Also Questioned.
specsal. ps.pateA TO tn. Sur.


WARRINGTON, Oct 11.-Domestic APP
piication Of the same secretive policy
which has marked all international
dealings was charged against the Will
SON Administration to-day by Senator
Brandegee (Copn.). The Senator ex-
pressed the view that secretiveness,
always notable characteristic in the
activities Of the Administration which
had proclaimed an era Of pitiless pub
Lefty, was fixed habit without ex-
case or reason. incidentally. Mr..
Brandegee raised the question Of the
genuineness Of the recent Presidential
signatures attached to executive doc
umeuts arrived at the Capitol.
Mr.. Brandegee's observations were
inapired by recent experience which
he described IN connection with an
effort to get highly important infor-
nation concerning the Japanese pro-
gramme for absorbing control Of the
transportation system Of China An
American railway engineer. Paul
Whitman. was sent to the Orient by
the Department of Commerce to study
the transportation problem OF China
BE made q report which Senator
Brandegee asserted was of the utmost
interest and Importance for its flu
mination OF the Shantung features OF
the treaty of peace.
This report was made to the Depart
ment of Commerce, but when Senator
Brandegee applied to that Department
for q copy Of 1t he was informed that II
had been turned over to the Department
of State. and application to that Depart
mont was met with the statement from
Secretary Lansing that the Department,
had not approved the report and could
no& give It publicity.
President Also Refused It.
Then the Senate adopted by unani.
nous vote q resolution calling on ths
President for the document, and this wa,
refused with the statement by the Presi
dent that the public interest would no
be conserved by such transmission. Sen
ator Brandegee expressed the opinion
that the Department OF State had n,
right to extend its cloak of diplomat,
confidence over the business Of other de
partments and thus prevent Congress
from knowing what they were doing
He said
Mr.. Paul Whitman, a skilled railroa
engineer. was sent to China by the De
partment OF Commerce to study an
report ON the railroad situation in tina
country. He made voluminous an
noteworthy report, of special interes
now because we are dealing with tn
province of Shantung, whose industria
development and railroad facilitie
largely dominate the transportation kn
industrial situation on China On Au
gust IA I requested the Secretary O
Commerce to send me a copy Of this re
port He replied that It was no longe
in his possession, having been turne
over to the Department of State.
then addressed the same request to tn
State Department and II was refuse
with this statement:
The report has never received tn
approval of the Department, for II
tendency IL such that this DepartmeI
Is not disposed to give II ciroulatio
under circumstances which might
construed as implying any responsible
for its conclusion. The proposal en-
Dooled In the report mas rurtnermol
been confused In some quarters wit
certain matters now under negotiate
in China l have obtained for you q
advance copy of the report on the raj
ways Of China prepared by Mr.. Fran
Rhea, which contains a consideration
the question of consolidating or unifyir
the railways of China. This report
not yet ready for distribution to Il
public, but will doubtless be given o,
after the s0th of the present month.
venture to hope that It will give you Il
Information for which you are seekin
ROBERT LANSING
Was Asked For by Lodge.
This treaty proposes to transfer
great Chinese province to a foreign en-