The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-01
JOHNSON FEARS
SECRECY RESULT
Senator Wants Fullest
Publicity Given to
Arms Farley
FOR FREE EXPRESSION
Believes Nation Should Hear
All Details and Demands
Open Sessions

WASHtNGToN. Aug al 9o.
rrccy may spell failure tar the forth
coming armament limitation com
ference. according 90 Senator ll.rnw
Johnson. who declares iu -~ lDl-
lowing public statement t0Fy i~it
open sessions and the full'at pub
lirity should ho demanded 10y all
pVOpica aA their only saf,runri.
By HIRAM JOHNSON
senator FROM tHI'f.ruH.
Tho dcsidcrBtum of tho rrua-
mcut limitation conference IH tho
reduction ~ ntmamcuts, that the
crushing burdens ~ taxation may
be lcssenod and that wars may no
less uk'lN Evory cV'rtuoHuE rl"-|
mcnt introduced ,umpli .ui"H tho
situation and maloE accomplishment
more dlfupult EccauHo this is ao
obvious many look forward hope
rully to new world era rcEtct
the injection into the conference of
tho Noxatiuus Far EnH'oru 1ucWiuu.
Whcthcr the solution of tho prob
lens ~ the Far East is a condition
precedent To consideration ut dis-
urma mrnt. we do not now know
nor do We know just what ~ meant
by the Far Eastern question. n
general rules OF International con-
duct ip the orient are 10 be pres
vrihcd. perhaps agreement may be
reached without great difficulty.
But the more guggcstinn ot Shan
iung aud MhnChuriA, of tho open
door" and the Lansing -Ishli agree
mcnt with itg different intcrprcta-
tions, tho sphere Of influence In
China, Of Korea and Siberia, indi-
Gates the possibility OF contention
and delay and tho almost insuper-
able obstacles which must be over
como before the real subject OF the
meeting is even reached,
Grave Danger In Secrecy.
The sinister thing which may spcn
failure Tor the conference is secrecy.
Already an atmosphere is being
created by the old familiar propa-
gsnda to taboo discussion and pre-
vent free expression. II Us grnVoly
asserted that frank expression Of
opinion In America concerning the
matters OF consequence which may
come before tho conference must
not be INDUCED In, that discussion
cate sensibllitioa of those from
abroad. In tho senate we have been
admonished that suggestions win be
futile had manners"
IN due time we ARE told all mnt-
tors win he arranged and there
viii be the largest measure Of pub
licity compatible with getting the
pusincsS u'ie' time con- lbatlblo
measure OF publicity will he
out In homeopathic doses TO
the pcople), Open sessions are
sneeringly derided We are pityingly
and sorrowfully advised that treat
les cannot be written with town
meetings What memories these
statements arouse. How familiar
hey sound. How often have we
ard them before the making OF
Versailles treaty And the won-
Ierfui and remarkable thing about
them Ia that some OF tho newspapers
and politicians and statesmen who
most scathingly denounced the ro-
pudiation of open covenants. openly
arrived at" Versailles In 1919. now
are the staunchest defenders OF se-
cret agreements, secretly arrived at,
at Washington. In 1921.
Should Demand Publicity.
Constantly and continuously until
November. there should be the
frankest discussion OF every phases
OF the conferences. The people
should demand open sessions and
fullest publicity.
At the coming gathering. arrayod
on the armament side will be the
most powerful OF world influences
militarism, yet dominant In many
countries, the greed OF those who
profit by war; all the evil lusts of
imperial power. Against these, one
mighty force alone can prevail, "A
righteous public opinion. Secrecy
VIII make futile this mighty force.
WIN open sessions and fun pub
iicity diplomacy's hidden designs
VIII succumb to world public opin-
ION.
, The men who meet in November
are. after all, but nero trustees
trustees OF hundreds OF millions
The hundreds of millions are en-
utlcd TO know what their few chosen
agents contemplate and are doing