Page:Paul Samuel Reinsch - Secret Diplomacy, How Far Can It Be Eliminated? - 1922.djvu/143



dealing with the affairs of the peoples of the world in such a manner as to place them upon a sound and lasting foundation.

The solemn document which was prepared for the information of the newspaper men on the de- cision of the peace conference to enforce secrecy, did not satisfy any one. To the public there seemed to be no larger principle at issue than that, on this occasion if ever, open covenants should be openly arrived at, and it was feared that if the peace conference did not base its action upon an appeal to public opinion, no adequate solution could be found at all. When the treaty itself had been framed, it was sedulously kept se- cret until distributed by the French paper Bon- soir. The deliberations of the Council of Five were secret beyond all precedents in public ac- tion. No secretaries were admitted and no offi- cial minutes were kept, nor were there communi- cations to the public through the press. Doctor Dillon's description of the Five as "a gang of benevolent conspirators, ignoring history and ex- pertship, shutting themselves up in a room and talking disconnectedly," unfortunately appears not entirely untrue; particularly as to the ignor- ing of history and expertship, which was quite patent, although from the nature of things we