New-York tribune., 1920-10-10
A Blind Referendum


cepting or rejecting his draft Of the
league covenant to "a great and SOL
eun referendum. He has had his
way, because he was able, by joining
hands with the irreconcilables in
the Senate, to prevent ratification of
the treaty with reservations.
He has thus made the treaty and
the covenant, the process of their
negotiation and the understandings
and commitments which lie behind
them an issue in domestic politics.
He has asked the voters here to pass
on all these things, as he had the
right and power to do.
But from the start he hasn't
played fair with the voters. He has
avoided laying his cards face up on
the table Having been invited to
make a decision, the voters are en-
titled to all the data in the Presi-
dents possession. He went to Paris
with demand for "open covenants,
openly arrived at" The peace treaty
was, however, anything but cove
nant openly arrived at. The proc
esses by which it was framed and
the interpretations put on their work
by the trainers are still sedulously
concealed.
The dispute between Senator Spen-
Ger and the President as to what the
latter said in the conference session
Of May 81, 1919, is a case in point.
The French transcript of the Presi-
dents speech has been produced.
But Mr.. Wilson, denying its accu-
racy, refuses to produce the English
transcript
These transcripts of the proceed
ings in the Council Of Four are pub
lie property. They are being arbi-
trarily withheld at the Presidents
instance. Clemenceau, when he was
still Premier, told the French Cham
Der Of Deputies that he would gladly
produce the conference records were
it not for President Wilson'S insist
ence that they remain under seal.
When he had his celebrated inter
view with the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations, on August 10,
1919, the President defended the
suppression Of this vastly important
information. In answer to a ques-
ton by Mr.. McCumber, he thus de-
scrlbed the way the conference rec
ord was made:
"The process each day was this,
Senator. The matters discussed were
summarized and the conclusions
reached were recorded in a process
verbal, copies of which were distrib
uted within twenty-four hours; and,
Of course, it was open to any one to
correct anything they might contain.
Senator McCumber- Where are
those records kept now?
The President-They are in Paris.
Senator McCumber-Is there any
objection to their being produced for
the committee?
president Wilson, think there is
very serious objection, Senator"
Later this colloquy occurred:
Senator Moses-Mr. President, are
these process verbaux to- be deposited
anywhere as a matter of public rec
ord?
''fhe rresident-Tha had not been
decided, Senator. OF course, if they
We're deposited as a matter of public
record, there would be certain great
disadvantages.
Senator Moses-Are they to be
deposited with the secretariat of the
League of Nations?
The Prcsident-No, sir"
Senator Moses then asked whether
'he conference records were to be
treated as private papers belonging
" tne members of the Council OF
rour. The President answered: 81
would mot call them private papers.
aore copy, Senator. ! regard
'hem as public trust, not private
papers, and | can assure you that
'ney will not be destroyed"
These interchanges occurred be-
lore the President conceived the idea
VI popular referendum on his draft
VI the covenant. His appeal to the
soters has altered the situation. If he
mas copy of the conference record
ena doesn't regard it as his private
property there is every reason why
'"e should submit the record to the
'asy along with the treaty. Every
'A''g Mr.. Wilson did or said in the