Evening star., 1923-03-04
How Publication of State Papers, Here and
Abroad, Often Embarrasses Governments

erred both in tact and in discretion in
his volumes purporting to show US
the former President as he really was
James W. Gerard's book Of his ex-
pertence as ambassador at Berlin.
published in 1917. served a useful
purpose during the course Of the
great war In disclosing to his coun-
trymen the true character Of the ex-
kaiser and of his military and civil
advisers. who by their short-si ght ed
given the United States no alterna-
tive but to throw down the gauntlet
TO the central powers.
Thomas Nelson Page, ambassodar
at Rome: David r. Francis, American
ambassador at Petrograd: Charles j..
Vopicka, minister at Bucharest, the
heroic Brand Whitlock, at Brussels;
Henry Morgenthau, who was instru-
mental in saving so many British
and French lives from massacre at
Constantinople in 1915, and wise old
Oscar Strauss, whose experience as
extend over nearly a quarter Of a
century. have all furnished us with
most instructive records of their
Official activities both at home and
abroad, while the writings Of Edward
NJ. House, OF that lovable and whole
some Secretary Of the Interior. the
late Franklin X. Lane. and OF Walter
Hines Page, author OF the most en-
tightening and heart stirrin8-book on
the late war, and presenting him in q
most attractive light to British as
we'll as to Americans. have all been
Of extraordinary interest. though in
many cases their discloures. espe-
cially in the use OF confidential docu-
ments and letters, have been of dis
concerting character.
Even Woodrow Wilson himself. when
he left the White House, carried off
stacks of official papers, including all
tho confidential minutes Of his inti-
mate conferences at Paris and at
Versailles in 1919 with Georges
Clemenceau. with David Lloyd
George. with Arthur Balfour, and
with the Italian prime minister, Or
lando, which he subsequently con-
fided to the newspaper writer, Ray
Stannard Baker, with authority to
select therefrom whatever he con-
sidered as suitable for publication in
a book. When it appeared it was
shown to contain many private
memorandas, bearing the initials or
signatures Of these four foreign
Statesmen, and the revelation of
which was a source OF great en-
barrassment and annoyance to them.
ENCOURAGED by these examples
George Harvey has now. according
to the cable dispatches from London
last week. proclaimed that in the
volumes dealing with his experiences
as ambassador to the court OF 81
Jamas he will demonstrate for the
first time to the public on both sides
of the Atlantic the admirable role
played by King George IN regard 70
the settlement OF the century-old
confiict between Great Britain and
ireland, and in the promotion OF the
Friendship between tho two great
English speaking powers of the
world.
This leaves no doubt Of the fact
that we are to be treated to a vol
ume Of diplomatic "Reminiscences
of George Harvey. and people who
recall the vitriolic character Of these
writings in Harvey's Weekly about
his one-time friend, Woodrow Will
son-writings which contributed so
much to the latters downfall-and
in bridling his satire and in con-
trolling his disconcertinE sense OF
ridicule and biting humor, are quite
naturally filled with apprehension.
For, no matter how great his respect
for King George and for Great Brit
ain, there is no knowing exactly
what he may or may not say. 1t is
to be feared that the extraordinary
kindliness which characterized Wal
ter Pages nature. and that robbed
lany criticism contained in his post.