Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-11
A Sham Battle Ends.

President Hoover has been asked 10
send to the Senate the documents and
correspondence relating to the nego-
tiation of the London naval treaty which
hitherto have not been made public
The resolution of the Senate as finally
adopted carries the request to the
President with a qualifying clause that
he shah send the documents IF not
incompatible with the public interest"
This is the language which invariably
has been used by the Senate when re-
questmg information from the Chief
Executive Further, the resolution pro-
vtdes that the President is to submit
the documents, if he does. with such
recommendations as he may make with
respect to their Use. In other words, if
they are to be treated as confidential
by the Senators, then he has merely
to say the word and they will not be
made public
The adoption of the resolution, which
finally was brought about by the friends
of the treaty and certainly with their
votes, has little significance beyond the
fact that action on the resolution
brought to a close a sham battle which
has been going on in the Senate. under
the leadership of the treaty opponents,
for the last three days. The way is now
left open for consideration and action
on the treaty itself. Unless, indeed
this opponents are able to bring forward
another side issue. The opponents Of
the treaty, some of whom declared In
ringing tones they were upholding the
rights OF the Senate and were seeking
to tear veil of secrecy from about the
london treaty have been informed
that there was nothing in this cor
respondence which had material bear
ing on the treaty. 1t was being with
held merely because of the free ex-
pFesstons used by some of the cor
respondents and because of the desire
TO maintain faith with others who had
spoken confidentially.
President Hoover, under the rssolu-
ton adopted by the Senator under
any resolution which might have been
withhold the documents requested. He
may determine that it would be unwise
to send them to the Senate. or he may
send them. il he so desires, with a
request that they be not made public.
So far as any actual effect upon the
consideration of the treaty Is concerned,
his sending of the documents to the
Senate would be immaterial. They
throw no new light on the treaty. They
contain no pledges of any kind which
are not contained in the treaty itself.
The vote in the Senate on the pro-
possl to amend the Mcclellan resolution
requesting the President to send to the
Senate the documents was significant.
Senator Robinson of Arkansas, Demo-
cratic leader and a member Of the
American delegation to the London Con-
ference, offered the amendment, which
provided that the President should send
the documents If not incompatible with
the public interest. A roll call showed
80 Senators supporting the amendment
and II voting against it, OF the IT
voting against the amendment. dozen
Senators are expected to vote for ratifi-
cation Of the treaty.
The efforts of the opposition to the
treaty, led by Senator Hiram Johnson
Of California, to make the American
people believe that there are important
secrets regarding the negotiation of the
London naval treaty-secrets which
II revealed might arouse sentiment
against the treaty-are falling particu-
larly fat.