New-York tribune., 1919-09-02
Wilson Tells Lodge Pub.
licity of Preparations
Agreement Might ''En,-
barrass Other Nations''
Four Other Pacts
Also Are Withheld
Covenants With Austria.
Hungary, Bulgaria and
Turkey Are Kept Secret
Ner York Tribune
Wdshir oton B,,reou

Ner York Tribune
Washington B,sreou
WASHINGTON, Sept. lin a letter
to Senator Lodge. chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
made public tonight, President VIII
son refused to give to the Senate an
agreement signed with Germany June
16' 1919, relating to payments of repa-
ration, on the ground that "a certain
degree Of embarra ssment would be
caused, not to the United States but
to the countries with which we must
necessarily cooperate
The President wrote to Senator
Lodge:
ALLOW ME to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your letter of August % and
to say that l shall take pleasure in
laying before the Senate the treaty
with Poland, signed at Versailles on
the 28th of June; and the agreement
between the United States, Belgium.
the British Empire and France, of the
one part, and Germany Of the other
part, with regard to the military oc
cupation of the territories of the
Rhine, also signed at Versailles on the
2Sth Of June.
Embarrassment" Suggested
"The declaration of the 18th OF June
to which you refer was a mere declara-
ton Of policy and does not become in
any way pertinent until the treaty is
ratified. My impression is tha. GER
tain degree of embarrassment would
be caused, not to the United States but
to the countries with which we must
necessarily cooperate in many par
ticulars in the execution OF the treaty,
# It were communicated now. It will
of course be made public in due time.
With regard to the treaties with
Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Tur-
key, 1t would be out Of the question for
me to submit them in their present
form, even to the Committee on For
Of negotiation, are subject to change
and reconsideration until completed
and signed. | am sure that the Com
rnttee on Foreign Relations will ap-
preciate the undesirabillty of creating
the precedent which would be create
BY submitting treaties in their draft
form. It would tend to take the func-
ton of negotiating treaties out Of the
hands Of the executive, where it is
expressly vested by the Constitution.
Answer of Senator Lodge
Senator Lodge wrote in reply:
81 am Indebted to you for your letter
Of August Is, which reached me last
evening. also have to thank you for
sending to the Ser ate the treaty with
Poland, signed at Versailles on the 2sth
of June, and the agreement between
the United States, Belgium and the
british Empire, of one part, and Ger
many Of the other part, with regard to
the military occupation Of the terri
tory OF the Rhine, also signed at Yer
sailles on the 28th Of June. The
declaration of the 18th of June was
printed some time ago in the Record
from the English White Book, the dec
laratlon having been submitted to the
House OF Commons on the 4th of July.
| believe. The committee asked for it
merely because they thought it would
oe better that it should be officially
before them.
"As to the request of the committee
for drafts or information regarding
the treaties with Austria. Hungary.
Bulgaria and Turkey, The committee
Of course were aware that negotiations
are wholly in the hands of the exocu-
tive, and there was no thought OF
trespassing on your jurisdiction. Icu
noticed Of course that the request
asked merely for such information as
you could give them, if it was not in
compatible with the public interest.
The four treaties still to be made are
so closely connected with the German
treaty that many Senator'S have
should be considered together and the
Io ror
formation ayyou felt could be properly
given in regard to those treaties not
yet submitted in the hope that it might
hasten action upon the treaty of peace
with Germany. If it is not compatible
with the public interest to give any
information in regard to them, that is
a matter upon which of course your
decision is final"
Refusal Amazes Senator's
Republican Senators were amazed to-
night at the Presidents refusal to
give the Senate the declaration Of
June 16, as it was not only printed in
the Congressional Record several weeks
after being given to the House of Com
mons By Lloyd George, but its printing &
ir the Record was reprinted in the
newspapers at the time. The Tribune
carried an exclusive Washington dis
patch the day before Its printing ~ the
Record. announcing it's discovery by
Senator Lodge among some English
papers he had received. and his inten-
ton to print it in the Record.
The drafting Of the final resolutions
Of ratification Of the peace treaty to
be reported by the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee has been begun by
Senators Lodge and Knox, and Sena-
tors on the committee day the
treaty would be reported to the Senate
by the first of next week at the latest.
Only one textual amendment remains
to be acted upon--that striking out the
labor provisions-and the belief is that
this will be rejected in committee.