The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-23
Nv international New. Service.

manded by Senator Pat Harrison CD
Mississippi. today when the Senate
resumed consideration of the deficiency
bill carrying 100000 for American
participation in the conference. and
s4s. 500. 900 for the Shipping Board.
Harrison, backed by Senator Borah
R) OF Idaho, urged adoption of his
amendment to the bill which would
instruct the American delegates to
the conference to use every effort
and exert their influence for open
sessions.
1.-THE Versailles treaty was Matched
and adopted In secret and as a re-
suit OF the secrecy enveloping the &C.
iiberations at Versailles the American
people still believe something was put
over on them at that conference" Har-
rison said.
Danger OF Distrust.
"Distrust will be Immediately at
tached to the Washington confer
ence and the suspicious Of the peo-
pies OF the world aroused as to its
real purposes IL IL is held behind
locked doors and in secrecy" Har.
rison said
"Propsgandists and lobbyists are
sure TO be knocking at the doors
of the conference. The great mum.
tons concerns who want war and
not peace, the Army and Navy men
who don't want any real reduction
OF naval and military, establishments,
are certain to keep close to some
OF the details. lnsidious subter-
ranean influences will be at work
to defeat the world demand for the
reduction OF ornaments and the
Tightening of the enormous tax bur
dens now imposed by great expendi.
lures for arms without number"
Discussion in Open.
Harrison said there was no rood
reason" why the shsntung. zap.
open door" and other NFsr Eastern
questions. should not bel discussed in
( the open"
'rhey have been discussed repeat
| edly in the open by the Senate" Har-
rison added. Then why not by the
Washington conference? Are we to
admit at the outset that these aues-
tons are so delicate and so perilous
that they must be discussed behind
closed doors and cannot be considered
| frankly and publicly that the whole
world whose safety partly depends
upon them may know how they are to
| be dealt with" Harrison pointed to
the present German-American peace
negotiations as another example OF
the secret diplomacy Of which the
word has grown 80 weary.
What does the Senate know about
these Berlin negotiations?" Harrison
inquired. Nothing. Republican Sen
ators who are now Withholding thei.
| tongues and their criticism from the
present State Department OF the Sc
crecy of the Berlin negotiations, were
not so long ago condemning another
State Department for not enlighten-
ing them about the secret Versailles
negotiations"
Borah Flags Secrecy.
Secret diplomacy has provoked
every war from the Berlin congress
tn the opening Of the world war" SEN
ator Borah said.
And Notwithstanding the bitter les.
sons of the world war we have drifted
back to the old system Of secret d.
plomacy," Borah continued. He stated
that the Harrison amendment provides
for "Ltt'" more than an expression of
opinion on the part of Congress" but
that expression of opinion is essen
tial," Borah added.
Failure Of the Senate to record its
viewpoint would be construed by the
world that we are opposed to open
conference.
IF the United States does not lead
In this fight for publicity for the Wash
ington conference we cannot hope for
much from 1t. I am not seeking to
check up on our delegates but pub
L. ho< ,yAI. ;oI 20
safe and sound conclusions. There
can be no successful Washington con-
ference unless II Is backed up by pub
lie opinion throughout the world and
there can be no intelligent public
opinion developed regarding the con-
ference unless the light of publicity
Is shed upon the deliberations OF the
conference and its doors are flung
wide open to the peoples Of the entire
world"
Closed Session Sentiment.
Senators Watson Cd Of Georgia and
Williams CD of Mississippi, expressed
the view that closed sessions of the
Washington conference might accom-.
plish more than II its doors were
thrown open to the public.
Watson suggested that whatever the
conference might decide on would be
given to the public. He pointed out
that the Presidents Cabinet meets with
the President behind closed doors, and
the Senate itself often considers
treaties and other important public
questions in secret or executive SEES
sion.
Had the Versailles treaty been
considered in the open It. would not
have made for continuation of
war" as Clemenceau, one OF Its own
authors, has so truthfully said"
Borah replied. The Shantung crime
was perpetrated by the delegates to
the Versailles conference sitting be-
hind closed doors. The chains were
riveted on Mesopotamia and Syria
and other helpless countries behind
the closed doors at. Versailles and II
was not until the weight OF public
opinion began to beat against those
doors at Versailles that we began to
get at the truth of what had been
going on hehipd them and 40 WAS