Evening star., 1921-05-22
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
\ UBLIC business transacted In a
public way-not behind closed

doors-is the demand which i!
being made by group o.
senators. including republicans ant
demourats. particularly with refer
ence to the business of the Senate
Their efforts are directed especially
to the consideration of all treatie:
with foreign nations and all nomina.
tions sent to the Senate by the Presi.
dent in open executive session.
The fight for less secrecy in the
conduct Of public business is not
new. It has been going on for years
outside the Senate as well as in It
And always the tendency has been
toward opening the doors to the pub
lie In all matters connected with the
public. There are far moro open
meetings Of the Senate and Of Senate
committees and House committees
today than there were a few years
ago. But the Senate rules still pro-
vide for the consideration Of treaties
in secret session and also Of nomi-
nations.
lee Broken ON Treaties.
The ice was broken, SO far as
treaties are concerned. when, during
the last two Congresses. the Senate
voted to consider the treaty with Co.
lombia and the Versailles treaty in
open executive session. The predic-
ton Is made now that never again
VIII m important treaty be consid-
cred behind closed doors.
It still remains, however, for the
Senate to open its doors when NOM
nations for public office are before
1t for consideration. Senator Harri-
son Of Mississippi recently stirred
the Senate by a demand that the
nomination of Col. George Harvey to
be American ambassador to the court
Of St James be considered in open
executive session. The demand was
refused, but in the end the vote on
the nomination was made public. and.
after Col. Harvey's confirmation. Sem
ator Harrison delivered . vitriolic
attack in the Senate upon the am
bassador.
Demand for Open Sessions.
The Mississippi senator followed up
this move with the introduction of q
changing the rules OF the
Senate 80 that all treaties and nomi-
nations should be considered in open
session, unless by . two-thirds vote
the Senate should decide to close the
doors. This resolution has been re-
ferred to the Senate rules committee.
where is is likely to die a-lingering
death, it is said. The action refer
ring the resolution was taken on a
motion Of Senator Lodge. the repub-
lican leader. who has been strongly
opposed to the proposed change in
the rules, though he favored the con-
sideration of the Versailles and CO.
lombian treaties in the open. The
vote on reference was ~ to rs. the
opponents Of open sessions on nomf-
nations winning the nrst brush in the
present Congress.
But this does not mean. senators
aay. that the contest will be abandon
ed. Senator Kenyon of Iowa. repub-
lican. probably will offer another res
olution designed to open up all ses-
sions Of the Senate, executive and
legislative. unless two-thirds Of the
senators present should vote to do
otherwise. It was he who about i've
years ago, during the Wilson admin
istration, offered such a resolution.
which at that time was killed by ref
erence to the committee on rules,
where the opposition to the proposed
change L. strong. Then the vote stood
II to 80 in favor Of referring the res
olution to the committee. From
which 1t would appear that the sup
porters of open sessions have lost
ground.
Got Five Republican Votes.
The fact that the resolution 50 re-
Gently sent to the rules committee was
offered by Mr.. Harrison. a democrat.
must be taken into consideration, how
ever. The majority party in power in
the Senate usually looks askance upon
any move Of importance made by the
minority or any Of It's members. A re-
publican resolution for open sessions,
probably would have more support. The
vote on the Harrison resolution was not
strictly along party lines. Five republi-
can senators voted for it-Senators
Borah OF Idaho. johnson Of California
Kenyon Of Iowa, La Toilette Of Wis
consin and Norris Of Nebraska. Three
democrats were recorded against the
resolution, Senators OvermAn and Sim
mons Of North Carolina and Smith Of
South Carolina, while Senator Johr
Sharp Williams Of Mississippi. though
he voted against the reference Of thu
that It should be disposed Of by the Sen
ate. spoke in opposition to it
When the Senate organized In the frs
Coogress. for the first few days It hex
an q its sessions, legislative As well n
executive. behind closed doorL But thil
did not lAst long. The American peopl'
could not stomach such proceedings. an.
wero opposed to them
Fa11ness ODeA to ouestfon.
The fairness Of considering nomina
tions for once in open session is a mat
ter Of vigorous controversy. The advo
Gates OF open session insist that whel
Q man u named for . public office h,
should be willing to have his qualinca
tons discussed just AZ freely a. II h,
vere up for an elective ONCE. when h.
would be forced to make q campaie1
and to reply to an charges and crit
cisms that might be made against him
The opponents Of the open session. OF
the other hand. cootsnd thAt it voul'