Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-11
BOWERSR APS
SECRET WORK IN
4-POWER TREATY
Says Conflicting Interpreta-
tiOns Evidence of English
Diplomacy.
Special to The Times.

MARION. Ind, March I1-Old- fash
Toned secret diplomacy, conflicting inter-
pretatons By President Harding and
Secretary Hughes, Senator Lodge and
Senator Underwood; It's proposal by Bal
four brought from England. and its ne
gotiation and signing before the Ameri-
can people know what was proposed, were
charged to the Horsepower Pacific treaty
by Clfude g. Bowers Of Ft Wayne, in
scathing denunciation at a meeting of
Grant County Democrats here last
night
FAIL TO CoNFIDE
WITH PUBLIC.
What shall we say Of a diplomacy so
secret that It kept In the dark, and de-
ceived the President, charged by the
Constitution with the negotiation of
treatiesf" asked Mr.. Bowers. THE mere
agents Of the executive, Withholding
from him the truth permitted him TO
subject himself to the humiliation Of de-
claring that the treaty as drawn and
signed did not provide protection for tnF
mainland Of Japan. And then. they,
who at no stage conided with the peo
pie, condescended TO take their chief
into their confidence, and whispered In
his ear that he had spoken out of the
fuiiness Of his ignorance Of the treaty.
Thus from o'clock in the morning when
he made his amazing declaration, he
wiggled and he wobbled to the mild
amusement Of mankind to his rather pa
thetic explanation at Z o'clock In the
evening.
"This incident was sufficient to
arouse distrust. This alone is a refuta-
ton of the claim that the treaty speaks
for itself. But the necessity for q
thorough explanation and discussion was
surely impressed upon the thoughtful
when Underwood and Lodge. the Ameri-
can negotiators, gave to the Senate their
conflicting interpretations of the effect
Of the four-power alliance on the Ian
sing-Ishh agreement. When even the
authors are in doubt the public surely
may reject the snug assurance that the
treaty speaks for itself.
NO RECORD OF
NEGOTIATIONS.
And yet in these secret negotiations
Of a treaty that spells an alliance, hints
at a balance Of power, and suggest the
holy alliance of other days there are no
records, no minutes, not a scratch Of a
pen in Washington to throw light for
the Senate or the people when the de-
scendant of the cunning EliZabethan
minister returned to London to- be ac-
claimed by the English people, and by
Colonel Harvey enshrned in the hearts
Of the Americans he was able to spread
very complete records of the steps in the
negotiations before his colleagues In
Downing street
I'm the absence Of any records Of these
secret meetings, the blunder of Mr.. Tn
derwood's Interpretation may be ex-
planned on the theory that he may have
been absent from one of the delightful
and intimate informal conversations.
With the President debating with his
agents as to one phase of the treaty, and
the two senatorial negotiators holding
Joint debate as to another, perhaps a lit
tie elaboration, little senatorial dis
cussion and cross examination may de
velop an authoritative Interpretation
that will let us all in on the character of
the obligations agreed to behind the
thrice barred DOORS