Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
Challenges Right of Admins.
tration to Withhold Con.
fidentiaI Files.
DENIES WASHINGTON
ESTABLISHED PRECEDENT
Declares First President Refused
Secret Papers in Jay Case to
House Alone.

Senator Hiram w. johnson, leader
of the Senate opposition to the Lon
don naval treaty, served notice yes
terday that he would call for q show
down tomorrow in the foreign rela-
tions committee on the administrae
tons refusal of his demand for it,
more confidential files on the treaty
negotiations.
The Senator, a fellow Californian
and political opponent of President
Hoover, issued statement challenging
not only the administra atoms right to
withhold such documents in the pres
ent case, but also its contention that
George Washington set the precedent
in the very beginning Of the Republic.
1t was to the House and not to the
Senate that President Washington de-
MED secret documents In the Jay treaty
case, Senator johnson declared In the
statement. Only the first half Of
Washington'S reply to the House was
quoted, the Senator said, in the let
ter Of Henry L. Stimson, Secretary Of
State, to Senator William e. Borah,
chairman Of the foreign relations COM
mittee
The second half, 'by singular over
sight" omitted from Secretary Slim
johnson, would have shown that
Washington made q distinction in IA
vor of the Senate and laid ali the pa
pers before the latter body.
Present Instance Differs.
The present instance differs any
way from the one cited by Secretary
Stimson, In Senator Johnson's opinion.
in that ''the Signers Of the Gondon)
treaty" made public part of the pre-
liminary correspondence passing be-
tween the United States and British
governments.
1T is silly, and worse, for any In
dividual to contend that he can put
into the public record and publish
respondence and then. holding IN
his hands in holy horror 1T . request
for all the correspondence, pretend
that /. the giving of all of It to his
partner in treaty making would be in
compatible with the pubs interest"
the johnson statement said
This Is the issue that the leader
of the treaty opposition viii raise, he
said, In meeting OF the committee
which is to be held tomorrow morning,
according to announcement yesterday by
Chairman Borah. With the COMMITTEES
standing is TO 5 for ratification, Sena-
tor johnson apparently intends to move
to put the committee on record as de-
handing the missing documents" re-
CARELESS Of the administration reply
received yesterday.
Secretary Stimson's reply tended 20
Isolate Senator johnson from the com.
mittee as q whole. Mr.. Stimson was at
pains to point out that 1t was the papers
which Senator Johnson insisted upon
that President Hoover directed him to
refuse, this on the ground that the
confidence OF other nations must be pre-
served or American influence In future
conferences would be impaired.
Demanded CabIegrams.
The committee proper on Senator
Johnson's motion had originally de.
manded a certain IL cablegrans mem
toned in general board formal memo
randum to the Secretary of the Navy.
which was put into the record by Sena-
tor Joseph T. Robinson, Democrat Of
Arkansas, one Of the delegates to Lon-
don, who is leading the Administrations
move for ratification. The production
by the State Department Of paraphraSed
copies, with certain matters admittedly
omitted to avoid embarrassing Prime
Minister j. Ramsay Macdonald, brought
the sweeping demand from Senator
johnson for "all letters, papers, docu-
ments, kilograms, dispatches and COM
munications OF every sort leading up to
or relating to the London Conference
1AA0 AO44SAOn 4GCdLy.
Senator Borah disclosed yesterday,
however, that not all of the matter re-
quested by the committee proper had
been produced in the CONFIDENTIAL
memorandum" submitted Friday by
Secretary Stimson as the most that the
president considered it wise to produce.
The committee chairman is disposed
to believe that any effort to get more
than the administration has furnished
VIII be futile in any event. Yet he in
dicated that he would be willing to vote
TO ask for anything that any member
needed to make up his mind about the
treaty.
Senators Disappointed.
1t Is the gossip of Senate cloakroons
tnat Senators Borah and johnson, who
together fought the League covenant.
are disappointed In each others atti-
tuoe In the present controversy. Sena-
tor Borah, while admittedly iukewarm
toward the treaty, believes ratification
imperative to avoid q delicate situation
with Japan, now that the pact has
been negotiated, and has pledged his
vote against any move to delay action.
which Is the first step In the oppose
ton strategy.
With the situation on Capitol Hill
somewhat confused, but still indicating
safe majority for ratification. Secre-
tary Sttmson made arrangements yes
terday to state the administrations
viewpoint in q radio address next
THURSDAY evening. The Secretary, who
Continued on Page 3, Column ~
- -