Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-08


dents know afterwsrd what he had
done: he did not inform IN. denn-
ltely enough OF his own part 80 that
could In my official capacity give
IL out; II probably never occurred
20 him 20 tell even Mrs. Wilson.
In spite of all warnings end elsb-
orate arrangements made 20 mnin-
tain secrecy IN the email meeting
there was still leakage. As the
American end British correspondent
became acquainted various private
channels were opened. and thep
occasionally recured information
that the councils wished 20 kerp Sc
cret. But tho great Leakage wst
sun TO the French press. This
French Foreign Office WIS per.ns-
sted with channels 81 informe tort
Tor friendly Journalists. and thssb
we're wonderfully directed 10 obtsi>
tho results which tho French de-
sired Correspondents from othef
countries. barred from direct Inror.'
nation ~ 20 what wes happening
drew on these French sources and
mo news 70 every part Of the world
mus came. more and more. 20 hav.
n French tlnge.
One day IN February whfIs n.
was ~ a crucial point In his 6sht
Tor Tho League % Nations. tho prsri-
dent showed me = memorandum
which he ssid no had from unirn-
peachabis sources giving the IN.
s'rict'ons just sent out 20 tbs
French Government uresr.
% To magnify Republican opo-1-
ton 70 the United States to the
President and his administration.
~ To emphasize chaotic consi-
lions IN Russia
81 To show that Germany 10 will
Ing and able 70 renew tho struggle.
n this keeps on Z shall sugge.,
moving tho conference % Geneva. or
sofnswhers out. OF Paris" said tbs
President
lndeed, what ran Re thought OF
situation like This. IN which dur,1s
friendly conference Of allied ma
lions a group Of newspapers VII
Known 70 be Influenced by tho Gov
eminent OF one OF them r. used "a
attack and make az difficult sx -os-
sible the courss OF tho rhIs- Ssjs-
gate 81 another netion7
Another development srorf,ns
publicity also took place Will. n.
council of Ten IN the beginning hsa
"e"n quite strictly limited IN tho tive
leading delegates or earh Of tho ro,,,
+ or i've nations with n few aeora.
{ ~
( the meetings was ~ grow larger
/ IN hsrch ths military .rpert,
we're present. and these with IN.
members of the delegations and IN,
secretaries, made up an attendance
or hfy-Tive. The tendency wa. e.
increase the length OF the spsa~h.~
ana also 70 Increase enormously Tn.
likelihood Of leaks.
The other critical problenns 4,
publicity srose during the confer
ence. One conferred around tn,
demand OF tho press to, be, srsseni
at the presentation OF the treatl
10 tho Germans at Versailles: tn
other involved the still sreafe,
problem % The publicity OF Tn.
treaty Itself.
Probably the most dramatic ant
impressive meeting OF the ontir,
Peace Conference was that OF Ma
Z. when the leaders of the viz
torious allied powers met the lead
ers OF defeated Germany for III.
hrst time. IL was the occasio,
upon which the completed treat,
was formally presented to III
Germs an delegation. No people 81
the world are so skilsul IN stagtnl
7 such n spectacle as tho French
and they had done their best Il
give due impressiveness and sol
emnity 10 this particular AZ
semblage an a symbol OF their vic
tory over their historic enemie;
They had in their minds. no doubt
the traditions Of former gather
ings of this kind; full OF ceremony
yet with the distinction OF sim
: plicity, and the whole idea Of III
press -- the representatives @
'democracy-crowding into tn
scene, was intensely repugnant {
them.
But they had TO recognize tina
!, there was a public and a press &
the world so they made arrange
ments in the yard outside near tn
gate. which they camouhaged wit
. shrubs and behind which they Orc
posed to allow correspondents {
! stand and see the delegates 20 In
and afterward come out. u ma
"a ffeau 20 in. j.
from the American correspondent,
The enclosures in the yard wer
o at once denominated the "dus
, outs" and communication trench
es". Again they held meetings I
the Office Of the Press Bureau an
I passed resolutions. The writer ha
r gone 10 Versailles and discovere
% that there vas room for a reason
able number OF correspondent i
= within the building. When n
: came back he tried TO enlist NJ,
: Lansing's help in changing the al
, rangement. but he quite agree
, with the French. so | carried tn
matter to the President and h
| promised TO make the fight for u
in the Council OF -Four.
This got the journalists into tn
corridor; 1t took another tght b,
the President TO get them into III
room itself-but finally. to max,
the distinction clear. they were re
: CURED 10 enter by the back door
Five Journalists from each nation
including Germany. were ad
mitted. Three OF the America-
press tickets went. Of course. {,
the press associations, and III,
other two, after much discussion
were assigned By lot by the spe
eial correspondents themselves
the two going 10 Mr.. Oulahan o
The New York Times and Mr.. Hay
den OF The Detroit News. In thi
case the press OF the entire worlc
-. a =