The Washington herald., 1921-08-08

opinion as to "pitiless publicity" OF all
= meetings. discussions and actions of the
coming disarmament conference. The Editor and
Publisher itself believes that "the experience Of the
last few years demands that all OF the sessions be
held out in the open in the white light OF publicity
and that "an open conference and enlghtening pub
city would be true to the best traditions OF this
republic.
The Herald has objection, now or ever, on
this or any other public question, of submitting its
opinion to the white light OF publicity" We be-
'Ieve that newspapers have far higher obligation
than what merely results in selling their papers
Their first obligation is in the selection OF news,
and so, the kind they iced to the public. They
have great power for good and vastly greater
power for evil Which road they take and how far
they 60. is a matter OF individual judgment OF poll
CieS.
The Herald does not believe the policy advo-
Gated by Editor and Publisher would be other
than disastrous tc good results from the confer
ence. We are sure we can trust Secretary Hughes
znd-his associates The objective is known. 1t is
what this people want more than any other single
.thins-internatonal good understanding and friend
Ship to bring permanent peace. Reliet from taxa
zion IS but an incident II Mr. Hughes in the con-
icrence negotiations needs the support OF public
opinion, he knows how to get it. If IN doubt as to
public opinion he knows how to remove the
doubt. If he wants to submit any question to the
higher court, he knows the way to appeal.
a. Ii the American people cannot trust MI
Hughes, they should get else to head
their delegation. II they cannot trust President
Harding to select his associates. they made their
own mistake in clccting him. II the he names
are not those they trust. they can force
change. in fact time will probably be gwen tor
protest before decision is made. If there is any
particular man or men wanted associate with
Mr. Hughes now is the time to let that be known.
So far as The Herald has been able to observe
thcre is not club civic, or other organlza-
ton in this country where the members hear or are
Informed as to the discussions, the details OF neso-
Nations. which lead to propositions submitted to
chem They do not know the what why OF
hiarv matters never submitted to them. Ere
oucntlv action is taken in their name without their
ronscnt being asked. chance for dissent. The
karrc is true in State governments and our ma
tioral government Not only executive sessions
Everywhere, but it is not fact, nor will IT ever
be fact that open conference is part OF this
Fcpub!ic's best traditions.
The people know nothing OF the negotiations
wir;ch have led to this very conference. They
were under way long before the public in
formed. We only know they have been and are
uudcr wav and the results, with the general atti-
'hIde OF governments. Great Britain and ireland
have a truce and arc drawing together under the
cloak OF the most complete secrecy this modern
world has even known. Publicity would have
doomed these negotiations to failure. II the wish
is to doom this conference failure the surest way
+, the white light OF publicity" to sell newspapers
The Herald is convinced that the part OF the
pevspapers in the conference is not indie
pendent publicity agency with 1000 differing Judg
ments fixing policies The newspapers place is as
the helpful, sympathetic wise agent OF Secretary
Hughes and his associates They are the American
army to be largely under his command. There
could be no more effective force.
This is not surrender of judgment nor blind
following 1t is intelligent cooperation in a
cause which all thoroughly understand and with
an objective all not only entirely commend, but ir
which they have common national pride and
complete faith. They will be in the confidence o.
Mr. Hughes He must have their confidence. Thcs
will understand his strategy. 1t is their part &c
help and what they do not tell or guess, or insin
uatc or intimate, will be as important as what they
saw. But the idea that everybody must know every
thing that the negotiations must be public, is one
which would create chaos, Babel Of tongues,
certainty OF failure, giving the few opponents o
disarmament a poison gas to use on an unmasked
unsrrncd populacc.