The Cordova daily times., 1921-04-14
SENATORS TO DEMAND OPEN
 TREATY TALK
BY COL. WINFIELD JONES

Correspondence) Treaties will be discussed "in the open" by the senate during the Harding administration if l Senators Borah, Johnson, Lafollette, and other senators who are opposed to secret consideration of future pacts have their way
 Former President Wilson talked much about "open covenants openly arrived at" but the phrase so aptly coined by MT. Wilson was a dead l letter, particularly at Versailles. The single shining example was when the senate, taking MT. Wilson at his word, insisted on discussing in open session the peace treaty and the League of Nations. The peace treaty, with which was incorporated the League of Nations, failed In the senate. There is every probability that it's rejection was caused prin- cipally because of the open debate. l By the open debate the people were | informed of Article X, and becoming alarmed at the prospect of the sur render of American independence to rgovernment at Geneva, raised their voices through the newspaper press, and such pressure was brought on the senate that the treaty and the league were cast aside. This was great gain to the people, by the open discussion of that treaty.
 Had the Versailles pact been dis cussed behind closed doors the re- suit might have been different, and the United States might today be member of the League of Nations.
 Reflecting on the league result sen ators are now determined to have every Uew treaty considered in open senate sessions, where the people may know just what is proposed, and 1 what the treaty under discussion means to them. With open debate in the senate it is impossible to con ceal any clause of a treaty.
 l The Colombian treaty was also con- sidered In open session, and will be again.
 It is fOreSeen that the first struggle | between the White House and senate will occur over the Colombian treaty. President Harding sent a message to the senate Gust before adjournment of the special senate session. in which he urged ratification of this 1 treaty. There are number of sen ators who are opposed to the treaty and their first maneuVer to gain an advantage toward it's rejection 1 will be to insist that it be considered i in open session. The senate foes of the Colombian treaty believe that with the publicity incident to open ! discussion, and every senator having to openly vote for or against ratfca- ton, the treaty wll be rejected.
 There are many advocates of con | gressoual reform and men who be- lieye in better parliamentary gov ernment by the house and senate who are convinced that not only treaties should be openly discussed in the senate but that all nominations should also be taken out into the open senate when the nominees are jup for confirmation and a free ] discussion if there are objections to nominees carried on where the public can hear it. These dvocates of "open government" and foes of all secret proceedings of any kind whatsoever in congress would even abolish all
 executive sessions of the senate,
 where matters are discussed behind
 closed doors with even press repre-
 sentatives barred, and have all sen- ate business carried on in open ses- sion These men would also abolish the custom of congressional commit
 tees holding executive sessions, and
 require all congressional committee ! business to be transacted in the pres enCe of the public. It has often | tees have made appropriations or cut off appropriations without the pub lie knowing anything about it until
 the bills had passed and been signed
 by the president
 The treaty of Versailles was the first great treaty before the senate
 where all the discussion was in the
 open session. Foes of secrecy in senate procedure hope that set pre- cedent that the senate will hereafter
 observe. After the open considera-
 tion of the Versailles pact any at
 tempt on the part of senators to
 secretly consider either the Colom-
 bian treaty or the treaty of peace
 with Germany, and particularly any
 proposal for a new league or an