Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-11-12
BEVERIDGE IN
FAVOROFOPEN
ARMS FARLEY
Demands Widest Publicity for
Washington Conference on
Disarmament.
Snecial To Tie Times.

WARSAW, Ind, Nov. 12.-Pubicity for
the disarmament conference was demand
ed by Albert J. Beveridge in an Armis-
tiee day address here last night.
"If any success is to result from this
adventure in Cancellation, past experience
would seem to demonstrate that one con-
dition IS vital and indispensable; that
condition is publicity" Mr.. Beveridge
said. THE proceedings of the conference
must be open, above board and in plain
sight of day, and not hidden furtive,
censored or restricted.
The argument for secrecy in such
International parleys are as ancient and
familiar as they have proved futile, in
furious and sometimes wicked" said Mr..
Beveridge. Persuasive as are the rea-
sons for star chamber methods in such
gatherings. the reasons against such con
cealment and in favor of free and full
publicity are much more weighty-in-
deed, are overwhelming.
CONDEMNS METHODS
USED AT VERSAILLES.
The methods Of the so-called peace
conference at Versailles, which brought
forth an arrangement now bitterly de-
nOunced by such & ripe and disinterested
statesman as Lord Bryce Of England g,
the methods of the congress of Vienna
the product of which was until recently
considered the climax Of infamy. but
which publicists like Lord Bryce now
declare to have been better than the eco
nOmic, social and political mutilatiOn of
EurOpe-and Of China, too-done behind
locked doors at Versailles aud, indeed,
almost every instance of similar under
ground methods throughout history, are
enough and more than enough to con-
denim the adoption of identical procedure
al this conference.
Moreover, the work of this confer
ence is the business of the people and
not the exclusive concern of diplomats
who are not chosen by the people and
are not responsible to the people, but,
instead, are appointed by temporary or
permanent heads of foreign governments.
1t is the people Of our own and other
countries who will be effected by what
this conference does; it is the people who
must pay the taxes; it is the people
whose well-being and, indeed, whose very
lives are involved. Why then should not
the people be told from day to day just
what these appointed representatives Of
various temporary and permanent admin
istratiors of our own aud other govern
ments are doing?
-
so beloved of and habitual 10 old time
diplomacy, are to be made at this con-
ference, why should not the American
people. whose present prosperity and flu
ture destiny are concerned, be informed
while such things are being manufac-
tured?
CITES EARLY SECRET
SESSIONS OF SENATE.
For many years, after our Government
was established under the constitution,
the doors of the Senate were never opened
and all proceedings We're secret; when
&c was proposed to do away with that
stupid practice. the advocates OF that
ahti-public methcd, defended it by pre-
eisely the same arguments now advanced
in behalf Of secrecy in the proceedings
of the present conference.
$50 the debate is as old as free in
situations. We still have, theoretically.
secret meetings of the Senate called
executive sessions; but what Is said
and done at these executive sessions IL
always given to the press. Moreover,
the secrecy Of these executive sessions
is an anarchonism and will not be con-
tinued much longer, even in theory or as
a formality.
I'm demanding and requiring that the
sessions of this conference shall be open,
a bOve board and in the full light Of day,
the American people are not only doing
their duty to themselves and their chill
dren and their children's children; they
are also comforting an inestimable priv
ilege on the peoples Of other countries
who never before have been allowed to
know their rulers were doing when gath
cred about such International diplomatic
council tables. The inevitable result al
ways has been that these peoples, when
such congresses or councils or confer
ences were over. found themselves bound
by DEGREES which they either had TO &C
cept or resist forcibly-as they row are
doing in various parts of every continent
on earth except our own"