Evening star., 1921-11-17
Editorial Digest
That Conference Door.

That conference U0Or.
The American Secretary of State, In !
a brilliantly impressive way. has pro-
jected tho American ideal of open
diplomacy into the international con-
ference. How far the impetus will
carry when negotiations open of
course remains to be seen, and great +,
as Is this triumph it is an approach i
only to the first half of that famous
Wilsonian slogan. "Open covenants
openly arrived at" The American
press. on its part. Is not Nabating in
it's insistence that the second half. as
we'll, shall achieve the same triumph. :
Spurred on by the resolution Just
adopted by the Senate requesting the |
press to the meetings of the full con- j
ference. where the questions for which ,
the conference was called are dis !
cussed." those papers which have |
fought for the fullest possible pub !,
licity are making a final drive for that :
goal.
On the other hand. journals which |
all along have opposed publicity be-
cause of their fear of its effects on
the success of the conference itself, |
the american representation is such |
that the people of this country can |
safely trust the entire proceedings to |
them' may feel that their position has !
Iy psen strengthened by Secretary
concrete American program.
II Is not to be assumed, the Rich !
mond Times-Dispatch (democratic) |
maintains. that wide-open publicity /
rs the most vital phase of the con- !
more important than that"-the sue
cess OF the conference itself-and the q,
paper finds Americans more con-
cerned over bringing the conference !
TO successful conclusion than they
are concerned over the openness of i
the conferences processes" The ,
whole world" now knows the aims
or the conference and the ends toward
which it will work. and the Columbus
lOhio) Dispatch independent) be- |
lieves. that "agreements so reached
Will fulhll all reasonable require |
ments of the call for open covenants
openly arrived at" while "to insist ;
on more would be only to destroy the |
while covenants at ALL
The conference Is being held "for
the purpose Of obtaining definite re-
suits, not for the purpose of supply
ing a steady flow of copy for news |
papers and press syndicates," the |
Peoria, Transcript independently |
somewhat tartly remarks, and TOO
much is at stake to justify placing !
any part OF its program in jeopardy
by unwisely insisting that the public |
be permitted to participate by APP
proval or dissent in it's proceedings
There will be time enough for pub
licity. the Rochester Democrat and |
Chronicle (republican) thinks. when i
pleted: in the meantime. "let us at |
ieast give the delegates the benefit |
OF any doubt that may arise in our |
minds as to the genuineness of their |
Intentions" mt t1 Full publicity. declares
democratic). would be the surest |
way of foredooming the conference !
to complete failure" since under |
such system the delegates would /
necessarily have to conceal the very !,
closure Of which the success Of the !
conference depends" and, the Times !
adds. much information will leak |
out anyway" SO that. as the Rock !
says. 'in the aggregate we will know /
what we should know /
But it is that very illicit publicity"
supplied only by leaks that the Spring. !
field Republican independently wishes |
most earnestly to avoid, for 1t is mot /
only no substitute for adequate author |
lied statements. but it is positively ,
harmful in ways of which the world |
has had more than ample experience in /
recent years. an experience which has |
maui INC puuiiC very UlStTu OF II |
is said
So far as trusting implicitly to our !
representatives is concerned, the Akron !
Beacon Journal (republican) points out |
that the same old crowd" that de- |
feated Woodrow Wilson's dream of open
diplomacy "is arriving at Washing !
ton" Perhaps. the Oregon Journal /
cortland, independently not too hopefully /
suggests. these diplomats twill become !
magnanimous. Possibly they will ac-
fnr I,tnh f1a.-
are convened" but if the arms con- !
ference sis to be game of secret |
diplomacy. with delegates bartering be-
hind closed doors for advantages" it
will amount to no more than ALI inter-
national conferences of the past" which,
''it is needless to say. have been fail
ures so far as limiting arms and pre-
venting wars is concerned"
Without publicity the New York !
Globe independently feels that 1.-The |
chances for any practical progress |
toward limitation of armament are |
negligible" The American people |
want neither secrecy nor censorship - !
the New York World (democratic) de- !
clares. land until they are assured that |
the conference will not be held in the |
dark they will continue to express their |
opinion"