Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-30
SECRET TREATY
MENACES PEACE
Britain Bitter Against
Italy's Price for Aid in
War
FRANCE ABETTING HER
Censors News of Troubles Re-
sulting From Conflict With
Jugo.Slav Claims
By CLINTON W. GILBERT
strT Correspondent % the Evening Pub
f,o Ledger with the Peace Delegation
In Europe
By Special Cable
1918. by Public Ledger Co

Copyright. 1918. by Public Ledger Co.
London, Dec. 30.-The shadow of
! secret treaties still lies across Europe.
The issue still lies between them and
international justice and open diplo.
macy.
England sympathizes with American
ideals, but is tied to France and Italy
by many obligations and agreements.
The difficulty of England's position is
illustrated by the sharp issue that has
risen between Italy and the Jugo.Slavs.
The difference between England and
France is indicated by the press treat.
ment of this situation. The British
press tells frankly the story of Italy's
occupation of territory claimed by the
Slavs and condemns it bitterly Even
the conservative Spectator joins in the
condemnation.
The Europe Nouvelle of Paris
tried to tell the story last week, but
the censor deleted the whole column.
That blank space is highly ilumina-
ting regarding the general attitude of
France. The French Government evi.
IDENTIFY is supporting Italy's insistence
upon the terms of the secret treaties
at least to the point of not letting the
truth of the difficulty between Italy
and the Slavs reach the people. Eng.
land evidently is heartily sick of secret
treaties, but cannot break sharply
with her Allies.
Washington Digusted with Treaty
Wilson's visit may clear up the
Italian-Slavic quarrel, for Wilson is
not bound by secret treaties and
surely does not sympathize with Italy's
Adriatic ambitions. 1t is no secret
that Washington was disgusted with
Italy's territorial claims during the war
and was Indifferent at first to aiding
Italy for fear of committing itself to
those aims and the secret treaty by
which the Allies purchased Italy's sup
port in the war.
The issue with the Jugo.Slavs arises
from the promises the Allies made tC
Italy. The crisis is sharpest now over
Dalmatia which is largely Slavic, eX
cept for the seaport of Fiume, which
il partly Italian. When the armistict
was signed the Jugo.Slavs at Washing
ton asked occupation of the disputed
territories by an international force.
mistake was made in not complying a
once.
On September is military and nava
forces of the Allies tried to arrang,
such an international occupation. AC
cording to the story of a correspondent
vouched for by the Manchester Guard
ian, they agreed with the Italian com
mander for international occupation
OF the city of Fiume. Two days late
the Serbs. to carry out the understand
inC, withdrew from Fiume. An hou
later Italian troops entered the cit,
and the Italian admiral landed larg
forces.
General Cancels Agreement
The Italian brlgadier general ar
nounced that he was a higher Office
i than his predecessor and therefore wa
not bound by the verbal agreemen
the predecessor made. Italy is steaC
ily extending her occupation into tn
hinterland. The Jugo-Slavs are grea
" eXasperated and tine issue, unles
fairly settled contains possible seed
Of future, wars and tends to drive tn
future Jugo.Slav State to depend o
Germany rather than upon Italy an
the Allies.
The immediate importance of sue
occupation is disclosed in informatio
: which American fooG officials posses
regarding the pressure which the Ita
ians and other Balkan States are pu
ting upon residents of the dispute
territories. They give food onl
after promises to vote in the self.dete
mination election in favor Of the o
cupying power.
The American Government is con
mitted strongly to the Jugo.Slav Sta
by Lansing's announcement at Was
ington recognizing their right to forl
an independent State.