The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-12
Open Covenants
Openly Arrived
At, Is Demanded
Liberal Element Of Senate
Demands Publicity Re-
garding the Negotiations
In the Disarmament
Conference
By DAVID LAWREHCE
(Cnpyri Sht 1921 oy The lntsllisencer

WaSh!nSeon. AUG. il.--Open covenant =
openly arrived AZ are to be demanded OF
the disarmament conference BY the. lib
erai element in the United States senate.
The opening gun IN the night for pub
lic!ty instead % secrecy has been flred
by. Senator Hiram johnson. OF Caifor-
ma. Although the senate has been de-
hating the wisdom OF Secretary Hughes
policy In Withholding from the public
informal ton concerning hts negotiations
with the German government about the
treaty OF peace. tho whole discussion il
merely a precursor OF a struggle for an
open conference on November 18th
when the representatives OF Great Brit
ain. France. Italy. japan and the United
states meet 10 discuss Far Eastern
questions as we'll rs disarmament
Tho White House position IS this:
While the greatest amount OF publicity
concerning the conference will be en-
couraEed, there Is douh; whether open
sessions would Re adv sable. Reference
q made at the Whit House TO the tact
that Fr-Siden, Wilson found such =
course OF open sessions improbable at
the Paris conference. I, was indicated
that the rules abou, publicity would be
nrada oy the conference itself after tho
nations had assembled. Inquiry was
rade as 20 whether the United States
would advocate open sessions but Il Is
stated that such an inference was not
justified even though America would ad-
vocate that the facts About tho conter-
cn"e be given the widest publicity.
In other words. while the conference
Is in session the present tend - oenclal
opinion Is that the press shall be ex-
GUIDED Just as was me case In Paris.
When conclusions have been reached,
announcement VIII b made OF them. No
opportunity would be given TO near the
argument pro and con nr 70 understand
the exact position ~ tho various coun-
'ries except as thar NAV re embodied
In formally phased statements.
OF course there win oe an oren ses-
sion for show purposes As was the cas-"
a. Paris when the action taken in phi
vats is formally announced. But the
outlook Is that al 'ha discussions IN
me vital points VIII be confidential and
held In secret.
johnson Demands publicity
Senator Johnson. ot California. with
Characteristic courage. - started the
demand 70. open diplomacy. In ad-
dre<sinE the senate ne said
~ congratulate the president ~ me
United States and the secretary OK state
hon. and 7 pray that Z may he a sue
cess in every respect but the hrst tese
In that disarmament conference Will De
vnether j: is held In the open or
whether IL - held in secrecy. And so.
curious a. I am. express now the view
that - mine. that when the diSGna-
n.nt conference meets IN Washington
IN Sorer Der we Will see As an actuality
,hs ratiors Of the earth meeting in tho
omen. 80 that tho peoples OF the earth
NAV b. constructtvelv present at ieas'.
and So that the public opinion or the
various countries IL the world Will hn
able 70 affect that conference and d.
rect its viii in behalf Of all the people.
Tho foregoing statement is preitntn-
arv 20 a sene-ai effort which undouet-
edi~ will BE made later in the autumn
n persuade mo executive branch ot the
government that tina United states al
East onght 70 advocate open sessions
The writer has been given the views or
a member Of the American peace COM
mission a: Paris They arc based upon
nIs cur experience and read az follows:
"Ther. must b. a reasonable degree
OF ruhnc;ty. do not believe the dis
cus.ions Of such conference should Be
open to the pubic Representatives
will not talk freely under such condi-
IONS but the public OF all the world
should get day by day. \ brief official
statement 81 the propositions under dis
russ. on. tho Nral conclusions OF such
propositions. In this way. the public OF
each nation will know In general way
the character OF the propositions that
have been made and will have an op-
portunt,y through the press and other
wis. 70 mako known their views
= may "a r,ly h&psSn that a lAt!onal
representative IN conference may Oh
,~cc 20 some proposition ard block the
wool. c-ore~dinSs nt the conference
c~ca use ~ this. believing in good faith.
thar his Jews are those OF me ntt,on
ne represent But It also may Easily
oe thai hen the mass OF n" people OF
his IA ton md tnat his attitude Is
standing n the way NJ On" rAaltzattpn
OF their hopes thy may make Il known
hat they ar" quite ready to accept the
proposition rather than hLv> -" who"
hing fail More than that. ANY at
tempt at iron bound secrecy - bound
70 ftiI: and t will fail by reason Of m"
action OF the governments Themselves.
Zach government in order To influence
It's own people may allow 10 leak out
,ust as much ~ the proceedings as II
links will influence its people In the
direction IN winch lL WAITS ~ ~ ~ -
Nuerced In European councils thar
we're pledged 10 secrecy. that course
was pursued whenever ono or another
government thought - desirable. Ine
ONLY one that did not do IL was tho
American government and as re5u I
the latter generally suffered. II IS not
Q wise thing for man. who Is 6uloro
solely by sense Of honor. 10 enter
.n,o an agreement based npon hono-
With msr whose sense or expectancy
taLss PRECEDENCE over their sense Q
honor"
KsJ to Situation
In thr last paragraph lies tho key
to tho whole situation. II the sessions
~ tho conference are open TO the press
II IS cont"nded the diplomats VIII not
talk frankly and tho conference MAY
progress slowly II they ar" not open
TO the press, each government repre-
sentative will send home his own i'm
rrAS.iur,S Color"d ny Mis- own political
fortunes and thee will be no way for
20 peoples abroad or in tho United
States TO check u7 on the accuracy or
he statements Each government H1!l
nave IT'S own press representatives.
through which propaganda viii DO is
sued and ono or Two governments a.
-eadr have pad rroPa sanda agents on
the lob already.