The Washington herald., 1918-11-10
HARD NUTS TO BE CRACKED
BY ALLIES AT PEACE TABLE
Clash of Territorial Desires Expected to Yield
Before American Ideals Aiming at
Justice and Secure Peace.

Kaiser both in Africa and Asia Minor.
| II is not likely that any indem-
nifty will be claimed by Britain for
the rivers Of treasure she has poured
out. becsose IA Is realised that the
4 frst Claim 10 that OF the devastated
regions, and this country. Ike the
United States. has not been invaded.
AND while abstract justice might re-
quire that Germany should pay "a
( whole cost Of the war. IL is realized
thai in practice this would prove TIM
possible.
J To turn to France. The republic
i who has 80 sloriously eclipsed her
past traditions OF vslor and er1ur-
/, ance will receive from an applaooing
world the two provinces Of which she
was 30 wantoniy robbed by Bismarck.
and she will also ask the enemy 10
| make good his destruction OF her
cities and villages. Beyond this.
France has been assured. in an agree
ment made several years ago. that
she shall have the coast OF Syria,
| now being rapidly conquered by Al
lenby's victorious advance. and GER
tain concessions in Asia Minor. II
is probable that she will advance
claims IN Africa to the conference, as
II does not seem equitable 10 many
Frenchnen that. while they were
bearing the brunt Of the struggle on
the west front in the early years, the
comparatively easy territorial con-
quests in distant thesters Of war
| should give the conquering power a
right to keep all that she gained for
herself. But Americans need not
worry about these questions, as the
good relations existing between
France and Britain will undoubtedly
enable an smieable arrangement to
! be reached.
Frasee HAD Large Aims
II is now known that in lsf7, just
before the Russian revolution the
French and Russian governments
concluded an understanding to which
England was not a party. by which
! France was TO receive the larger
Alsace-Lorraine of lsl4. and a neu-
tral state was to be constituted out
Of all other German territory lying on
the left bank OF the Rhine. TO be
garrisoned by French troops until
Germany had fulfilled all the condi-
tons OF peace. This is a very deli
cate subject. but personally have no
doubt that France will withdraw some
! or these claims In the Interest Of a
general settlement. providing that a
democratic government responsible TO
the people is set up in Germany.
No criticism can fairly be offered
/ Of any demands made by France
from Germany. OF whom she must
for a long time be suspicious. and
the aim Of French statesmen in put
ting forward claims which might
4 ~ Nrg l.
one word-securty. When we con-
vince France that she is protected by
the League of Nations, by all civ
ihzed- States, and that she need not
look for her safety against brutal and
perf1dious attack only to her own un-
aided strength, there will be no dif-
hculty about French desires 10 annex
territory inhabited by peoples OF
other races
But on that point France will take
a great deal of convincing OF this
repeated conversations l have had
| with French statesmen leave no
doubt, and II Is not to be wondered
at, in view Of the agonies TO which
the republic has submitted at the
| hands OF her rivals and more pow
lerful neighbors. who will now. many
A Frenchmen fear, begin to prepare
for war OF revenge in which
! France, as before, must stand Lon.
against a tide of invasion until her
friends can come TO her help.
Italy, in a treaty with France xno
Russia just before her entrance into
the war In 1915. was guaranteed part,
of Istris and Dalmstis. which the
principle Of nationality demands shxl
go to a new free nation sprfnrint
srchy. Here again think Ameri
cans need not assume that Italy vii
prove unreasonable, or that her for
mer demands are in irreconcilsb bl,
conflict, as they appear TO be, witt
the new world spirit of peace which
we are out to get For IL must be re.
membered that Italy. at the time hel
territorial program was framed
looked forward to a world Of war'
OF violence, and felt compelled q
seek safety in the old guarantees o'
strategic frontiers and economic sd'
vsntaSes over her neiSheors.
| Italy Compliant.
II has been said by Italians thai
the Adriatic is one OF the lungs Of
Italy. by which they meant that tbs
possession OF this sea was vital e
the safety OF the country. Thes,
views. though still held by some, hsv,
Of late been giving way to the feel
ing that. under a world of interna'
tional comfy and guarantees. strste'
gical requirements need no longer b'
regarded as OF the same Importance
while the doctrine of the League o.
Nations and the inspiring utterance'
of President Wilson have made man!
converts among important Italians.
The recent recognition by Bsror
Sonnino, the foreign minister Of IN,
Juso-Slav nation. disposes OF whs
was long a bosie among many en-
tente politicians, that the interest,"
of the new Greater Serbia were il
such conflict with those of Italy tina
their rival claims to the same terri
torial spoils would not be satisfied
without conflict
The restoration of Russia, in so IA,
as a broken dish can be restored
is taken for granted by all the sllieC
powers. Germany must Withdraw
from the border provinces she hai
occupied, but IL would take bolC
man to prophesy now what can b
done with the former empire OF th'
Czsr. Rumanis's claim to that por'
ton Of Hungary which is occupied
by her own people is recognized b!
all the allies -g ...-s
There remsin two problems. per
hsps the hardest OF all, to be thrashoC
out at the conference They are Po
land end Constsntiuope.
That Poland must be reborn anC
consist of Russisu, Austrian and a
least parts OF German Ectand. forneC
into an independent state. is erteC
by all. But Pres'deat Wilson, ia m,
thirteenth of his fcnCus points, hai
said that the new country must hsv,