Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
JOHNSON TO CALL
NAVAL SHOWDOWN
Challenges Right of Admins.
tration to Withhold Con-
fidentiaI Files.
Continued From First page9

headed the American delegation at
London, will be heard over Station
WlAAL in the National Radio Forum
arranged by The Star and sponsored by
the Columbia Broadcasting System.
The Secretary Is expected to state the
case for ratification before the Sem
atorS go home for the Summer. either
int he regular session or a special Ses-
sion Immediately following.
This Is President Hooveris immediate
concern and one which resulted in his
having leaders of both factions of Re
publican Senators, regular and young
Republicans" and Senator Borah at
the White House for series Of con-
ferences this week.
To the end that the treaty may be
ready for Senate action either in reg
ulaT or special session, Senator Borah
made it plain yesterday that he would
press for a report on 1t next week,
beginning with the committee meeting
scheduled for Monday.
The stated purpose of Senator john
sons demand for confidential admins
tration records of the treaty negotia-
tions is to try to show that the Cen
eral Boards recommendations against
American acceptance of less than twen-
ty-one S-inch-gun cruisers, the largest
allowed by the Washington treaty was
not insisted upon inpreliminary nego-
tiationS.
Senator Johnson, in giving out his
statement yesterday, indicated that he
would not necessarily insist on publish
ing everything produced. The State
Department had. inferred the contrary
from his letter. The Californian had
declined to comment following the max
ing public of Secretary Stimson's letter
last night, on the ground that he want
ed to see what. had been produced.
Senator johnson was ready with re-
ply yesterday noon.
Senator JohnsOn's Statement.
The statement follows:
THE power of the President to ne
gotiate treaties is derived from the
Constitution, which says:
He shall have power, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate
to make treaties, provided two-thirds Of
the Senators present concur
In the making of treaties, therefore,
the duty of the Senate is as important
and solemn as that of the President
Apparently this is forgotten in the pres
ent discussion. The Secretary of State
goes back to the famous washington
message of 1895 and quotes it as fol-
lows:
THE nature of foreign negotiations
requires caution, and their success
must often depend on secrecy, and
even when brought to conclusion a
full disclosure Of all the measures, de-
mands or eventual concessions which
may have been proposed or contem-
plated would be extremely impolitic, for
this might have pernicious influence
on future negotiations or produce i'm
mediate inconvenience, perhaps dan
ger and mischief, in relation to other
powers III.
Point Misunderstood.
This message was to the House of
Representatives, not to the Senate. The
point then at issue has been miSunder-
stood by the Secretary of State, and
his quotation, by a singular oversight,
stops short of what makes plain Wash
ington's meaning. Immediately follow
sage proceeds:
1.-The necessity of such caution and
secrecy was one cogent reason for vest
ing the power of making treaties in
the President, with the advice and con-
sent Of the Senate, the principle on
which that body was formed confining
it to a small number of members. TO
admit, then, a right in the House OF
Representatives to demand and to have
respecting a negotiation with q foreign
power would be to establish q danger
Gus precedent.
disposition to withhold any informa-
ton which the duty of my station will
permit or the public good shall require
to be disclosed, and, in fact, all the
papers affecting the negotiation with
Great Britain were laid before the
Senate when the treaty itself was COM
municated for their consideration and
advice
Thus. it will be observed that the
denial of the papers by President
Washington was to the House OF Rep
sentatives, which was not part OF
the treaty-making power, but that all
the papers and documents were laid
before the Senate, which was part OF
the treaty-making power.
May commend to the very able
representatives of the State Department
the study of the controversy between
the House of Representatives and the
President, which arose in relation TO
the Jay treaty, and which has been
source of debate among statesmen and
comment among historians and writers
from the time Of Washington to the
present. The question there was not at
all like that here involved.
Will Maintain Confidence.
at might add the foreign relations
committee has even in the past jealousy
guarded such confidential information |
as has been transmitted to 1t, and TO-DAY. |
as in days gone by II 1t be compatible |
with the public interest to maintain as |
some State documents upon |
which the treaty was founded, the |
foreign relations committee and the |
Senate itself will of course maintain |
that confidence 1nviolate.
In the case of the London treatv |
very different proposition is presented. |
that either lawyer or layman can |
readily understand. In the hearings |
before the foreign relations committee, |