The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-07

w,sb,nrton. June 6.-Senator James
w.,.oh =, Indiana. Republican leader
spd mouth piece OF President HardiaS ~
rhe unper house Of congress, mas slA To
an the diplomatic corps ana stNen t
depar,ment OF state delicate proo's"
10 solve. -i.,.,ripy the
ainlomatic representatives OF torcls"
-overnments for making addresses 80
ling 70 the tariff on the srounG '"a
they were assuming 20 aiState
American legislative BODY tnrousT
Hc onInion is no casual affair. CnuF'
IN. usual rules OF procedure. the as-
nsrrmer, OF state Cannot heip taNIns
cognisance Of the charges mace ~ "s
American senator. and n MS ehs S,,In
are well-founded the recall oil the u'p''
mats must De asked.
Will Take tho Hint
But nobody supposes for Tlhut"
mar Tho department OF state Will 90 ar!
snch thing Officially the department.
viI take absolutely no cosnizan:e
the speech and will go along as II II han
nor been made. This Is the only courSe
nat will save u from embarrassment
And as for the foreign diplomats theE
I.iIi undoubtedly take the aint ana
avoid assuming responsibility for their
own utterances, BY submitting Ine"
speeches to the department OF state
II is difficult 10 rruzzle an am0aseH,
dor or consul on the subject OF trade and
commerce. That's his paramount thoasnt
IN peace time. He must keep the Suo
iects Of his own country VINO I'VE III
the United States constantly advised o.
,he effect OF new laws or proposed laws 5.
American consuis and diplomats are
doing the same thing aoroad-intortni'lS s
American citizens OF the possIoIe ei
OF foreign laws, pending or passed Oh
their own interests. Somewhere between
proper advice and improper tntluencei
there's a line. Heretofore the diplomats
have drawn this line for themselves
Senator Watson thinks x mas peer
drawn 100 far toward the latter. 10
avoid misunderstanding diplomats Will
ask the state department 70 censor their
speeches. The word censorship IL
perhaps misleading. The o'ticla! "aS
will be submit a speech and ask the de-
nartment OF state II Il has any obJec-
lions TO It's publication.
May 30 inspired.
No one At the department. o' state
to-day seemed 20 know the reason r"r
Senator Jim" WatSous speech. So tSr
as could be learned the circumstances
complained OF have not been made
subject OF correspondence between the
Department OF state and the White
House. Yet Senator Watson is fre-
quent caller at the executive mansion
and Is TOO old hand at Washington
procedure 10 take fling AT foreisn
diplomats without Weighing the desires
Of the administration.
The White House may deny all con-
nection with Mr., WatSon's utteranEe
and the Indiana senator may insist that
q was his personal observation un'n-
spIred by the President. but tn" general
belief Is that he did not make the speech
without the knowledge OF Mr.. ftardinS'
and that the purpose sought 70 %
achieved was 10 keep ambassadors from
expressing them selves on domestic mat
ters, and since there were several am
bassadors and ministers and Consuts In
volSed Il was deemed best by the
powers that be TO have n speech made
IN the senate on the general subject so
that II might SrSe as warning to
others who might have Inadvertently
made the same mistake. or might be
likely 70 do IL hereafter Sometimes
roundabout ways have 10 be chosen. and
shlle the department OF state Is IN a
moro or less awkward position by hav-
Ing It's task or handling foreign dtplo-
mats hapdied by another branch Of the
government the chances are the depart
ment will not so OVt Of It's way to make
a point OF tho episode.