The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-08-24
Harrison. Who Accuses G.
0. P. Of Favoring Secrecy,
Withdraws Amendment.
WILSON'S COURSE IS CITED
American Delegation Likely to
Be All Men. Women on
Advisory Committees.
Special Despatch 10 THE NEW YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. G., Aug. ~.

New York Herald buFfhu.
Washington. ID. g., Aug. ~.
The attitude OF the United States re-
garding the degree of publicity that
shall prevail at the approaching con-
ference on limitation Of armament was
indicated to-day BY action Of the SEN
ate and by unofficial expressions Of the
Administration officials. This country
wants as much publicity as Is com
patible with practicability and good
common sense.
This position will be maintained
throughout the conference, with con-
current recognition that the confer
ence itself will determine it's own rules
OF procedure.
The Senate fight for complete pub
licity came TO a sudden end to-day,
when Senator Harrison (Miss) with
drew his amendment, which PROVIDED
full publicity should be given to con-
ference proceedings.
The debate In the Senate brought
forth clear enunciation of the prin-
ciples OF the situation by Senator Lodge,
| who Is assumed to have voiced the at
titude of tn: Administration. He said
the Harrison publicity amendment
would be futile bad manners as the
conference OF nations would itself de-
| termine the degree of publicity that
! should be given to its activities. TO as
sumo that all questions arising AT tae
/ conference were to be discussed in the
l ha
\ favored as much publicity as possible,
! but recognized that much would occur
! at the conference that would be tenta-
! tive In character and would have to De
| discussed in private.
Amendment IL withdrawn.
! Just before the vote was TO have been
| taken Senator Harrison withdrew the
! amendment, with the explanation that
he did not wish to embarrass the Presi-
dent Mt this time. An appropriation or
| 5000. 600 for the expenses of the con-
| ference was then passed without the
| amendment.
Politics had entered into the situation.
| The Democratic side was endeavoring
to put the Republican majority in the
! position of seeming to favor secrecy in
| the discussions. Senator Harrison,
+, while Withdrawing his amendment. said
| he would offer the same idea In the
| form OF resolution and would seek
to obtain a record vote on the question
| Senator Borah, Idaho, spoke In sup
| port OF the idea contained in the Har-
rlson resolution, while Senator Watson.
| Democrat tGa), supported the position
| taken by Senator Lodge.
Senator Lodge showed that secret
/ treaties were impossible SO far as this
| Government is concerned because of the
| necessity of securing ratification by the
| Senate Referring directly TO the ques-
! ton presented b. Senator Harrison
| amendment. he said:
president Wilson. who had n great
/ % nacity in making striking phrases
used the phrase open covenants openly
arrived at and 1t gave an impression
that everything In Paris was to be done
on the sidewalk When he came to
Paris OF course he had to deal witl
some thirty other Powers. each having
one vote. They referred certain cues
lions to committees. Tho Senator from
Idaho. Mr. Borah. I do not think stated
It quite accurately when he said secret
conferences.' The conference of all the
Powers was always open. 50 far as |
I .emember. and ! do not think they had
! more than two or three meetings with
oil the Powers at any time.
Ten on Committee ut First.
THE treaty emanated from a COM
nittec, and the most powerful commit
tee was that which first consisted of ten
/ persons. then was known In the Ian
guage Of the press as tho Big Five. then
/ the Big Four. and l think II even got
down to the Big Three at one time. The
meetings Of that conference were secret
II was impossible that there should not
be a certain amount of conversations,
| If YOU choose TO call them that, which
were secret and not carried on in pub
/ lie.
where the President was justly criti-
! cieed was not because he met in COM
mittee TO consider these things, but be-
cause the press was censored and the
news from this country was not allowed
TO 20 into Paris, so far as II could be
stopped. and the news from Paris was
! not allowed to come here.
"Ie was criticised. and Justly criti-
cised, because after the treaty was made
and was before the Senate, and the SEN
ate had to act. even then we were not
allowed to know what happened to US
was refused ALI information until the
question or zap arose, year or so af-
terward, and then the President sent In
the notes and records OF certain of the
meetings of the committee or you choose
to call 1t 500 which made the treaty
TO the Committee on Foreign Relations
here
THE practice OF every committee in
this body and In every parliamentary
body in the world. when they are franz
Ing a bill, Is to frame Il behind closed