Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-11
Revelation of Confidential
Documents Held Against
Public interests.
HALE LAUNCHES ATTACK
ON TERMS OF NAVY PACT
Britain Is Described as Having
U. S. "Hamstrung and Hog
Tied" Under Agreement.

President Hoover today declined to
comply with the resolution adopted by
the Senate yesterday asking MIN for
confidential data on the London naval
treaty, explaining that to do so would
be incompatible with the public interest.
The Presidents message, read in the
Senate today, was brief and to the point.
His communication in full follows:
L have received Senate resolution 800,
asking me. if not incompatible with
public interest, to submit to the Senate
all letters, cablegrams, minutes, memo
randa, instructions and dispatches, and
all records filed, and other information
touching the negotiations of the Lon
don naval treaty.
This treaty, like all other interna-
tional negotiations has involved state
ments, reports, tentative and informal
proposals as to subjects, persons and
governments given to me in confidence.
The Executive, under the duty of guard
ing the interest of the United States;
in the protection of future negotiations
and in maintaining relations of comfy
with other nations, must not allow HIM
self to become guilty of a breach of
trust by betrayal of these condolences.
Would Violate Practices.
"He must not affront representatives
of other nations and thus make future
dealings with those nations more
difficult and less frank. To make public
in debate or in the press such con-
fdenceS would violate the invariable
practice of nations. 1t would close to
the United States those avenues of in
formation which are essential for future
negotiations and amicable intercourse
with the nations of the world. 1 am
sure the Senate does not wish me to
commit such a breach of trust.
II have no desire to withhold from
the Senate any information having even
the remotest bearing upon the negotia-
ton of a treaty. No Senator has been
refused an opportunity to see the con-
fidential material referred to, provided
only he will agree to receive and hold
same in the confidence in which 1t has
been received and held by the EXecu-
tive A number of Senators have ava1led
themselves OF this opportunity. I be-
lieye that no S=nator can read these
documents without agreeing with me
that no other course but that to insist
upon the maintenance of such conf
dence is possible. And I take this
opportunity to repeat with the. utmost
emphasis that in these negotiations
there were no secrets or concealed I'M
derstandings, promises or tnterpreta-
tions, nor any commitments whatever
except as appeared in the treaty itself
and in the interpretive exchange OF
notes recently suggested by your Com
Inittee on Foreign Affairs; all of which
now are in the hands of the Senate.
I'm view of this, I believe that to
further comply with the above resolu-
ton would be incompatible with the
public interest.
CSigned) HERBERT HOOVER"
Prior to sending the reply to the
Senate, Mr.. Hoover and Secretary Slim
son discussed the situation caused by
the call for the papers.
Pending a settlement of that differ
ence between the White House and the
Senate, debate on the pact brought the
renewed opposition of Hale. The Maine
Senator, who heads the Naval Commit
tee, commended ratification would prove
the United States was incapable OF look
ing after its own interests.
His long prepared speech recalled the
one of detailed support given Tuesday
by Senator Swanson Of Virginia, who
saw good where Hale saw evil in the
pact. Again the galleries were filed.
Bare Quorum Present.
For the third day bare quorum Of
40 answered the first roll call. The
Senator from Maine had been waiting
two days to express his opposition. He
spoke slowly.
1.-The British by the terms of this
treaty" he said, "have us hamstrung
and hog tide, and there they will keep
us as long as limitations of ornaments
are the order of the day"
Accusing Secretary Stimson of an
unwarranted attack on naval officers
who oppose the treaty, Hale said:
1.-The Navy has become little more
than a trading asset, armed with which
the Secretary of State may ride forth
to win his spurs. A treaty he must
bring home. If to get that treaty a
sacrifice of national security is neces-
sary, that is trivial matter"
Hale said. Stirnson tells u.s. that
the criticisms of naval officers should
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