Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14

rest was not particularly burdensome, to
be sure; in practice it meant that he
was placed in the custody of deputy
sergeant who accompanied the
correspondent everywhere the latter
went-even into the press gallery to
report the doings of the Senate. For
week or more they dined together.
roomed together, all at the expense OF
the Government.
The delicious part of the perform
ance was that the Senator who was
chairman of the investigating commit
tee and as such had been demanding
savagely that the correspondent reveal
the source of his information was the
very man who had given the informa-
ton to the correspondent in the
first place. Many Senators and
not a few newspaper men knew all
about the transaction at the time, but
it was a harmless bit of burlesque and
provided free advertising for both the
Senator and the correspondent.
knowledge of incidents such as that
just related give point to remarks along
the line of those made by Senator Dill
of Washington ian advocate OF open
Sessions) on the day after the publica-
ton of the West roll call,
IT wonder" the Senator said, 'if con-
cealed in our desks there are sensitive
microphones, or possibly there are in
the carpets woven wires OF dictographs,
so that all we say here in secret session
Is carried out to some unknown listening
post. Or is it possible that in the CELL
ing of this sacred chamber there are
hidden electrical devices that carry out
such information? I do not know, I
cannot believe that any Senator would
so forget his position as ever to tell any
newspaper man how he voted on
great question"
After Senator Dill had complained
that the rules of the Senate forbade
him to state whether or not his own
vote had been accurately recorded in
the published roll call, Senator Norris
of Nebraska suggested that the way out
of that difficulty would be for Senator
Dill to make an announcement during
the next secret session. thereby insuring
widespread publication OF whatever he
might say!
Issue an Old One.
The question of secret sessions OF the
Senate is as old as the Federal Govern
ment itself. 1t is provided In the Con-
stitution that:
Each House Of Congress shall keep
journal of its proceedings, and. from
time to time, publish the same. except
Ing Sucn pdTbS as may AA ehOA JNNo
ment, require secrecy"
When the first Congress met in 1913,
in March, a quorum of the House OF
Representatives was not obtained until
April /. The House met in secret ses-
sion until April 8, and then opened Its
doors to the public. They have re-
NAMED open ever since except for
few rare occasions, usually In time OF
war, when there seemed to be grave
reasons for secrecy.
The Senate, however, was more exclu.
siye. Within q month after its first
meeting an attempt was made to have
it transact its legislative business In
open session, but this attempt was de-
feated. It was not until February II,
1793--nearly four years after its frst
meeting-t1at the Senate held an open
session. This was during the contro-
versy over the election Of Albert Gala
tin as Senator from Pennsylvania.
Gallatin was subsequently excluded
from the Senate on the ground that
he had not been a citizen of the United
States for the required nine years.
Later In the same month resolution
was adopted 70 provide that legislative