Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-21
ITALY Is URGED
TO MODIFY AIMS
Abrogation of Secret Treaty
Of 1915 Is Strongly
y Recommended
A FARLEY A
Three Sets of Conferences Will
Precede Draft of Treaty
Germany Must Sign
PEACE FARLEY PLANS
BY CHARLES A.. SELDEN
Cable to EUening Public Ledger

Paris. Dec. 81.
In all the exchanges of oratorical
eourtesies incidental to the visit of
the King of Italy in the last w days,
his French hosts have made a point of
using the word spontaneously" in
describing how Italy came into the
war in 1915.
That is the public end of it, but in
private France makes no bones of de.
claring that Italy was persuaded to
come into the wal only by secret
treaty promises of territorial conces.
sions, which the Allies are now re.
luctant'to keep, because to do so means
trouble with the Jugo.Slavs. In fact,
they accuse Italy of having charged
too great a price for coming into the
q and say that the promises were
made under duress.
For weeks France has been trying
to induce Premier Sonnino and For
eign Minister Orlando, of Italy. to con.
cede something of what was promised
them on the east coast of the Adriatic
by the secret treaty of 1915. but so
far the Italian statesmen have refused
to yield an inch. and the latest public
utterance of Orlando was to the effect
that Italy could not demobillze be.
icause of the likelihood of greatly in
creased difficulties in the future. 1t Is
taken for granted that he referred to
the troubles with the Jugo-Slavs.
Little Enthusiasm Over Italy
Paris public apparently has more
sympathy with the real feelings of it's
political leaders thar with their ban.
quet speeches. Several months ago,
when London was celebrating italian
unity day" there was not the slightest
recognition in France of that ami
versary; and on this present occasion
of the visit of King Victor Emmanuel
the Paris street demonstrations are
very tame affairs compared tosthose
recently accorded King George, King
Albert and President Wilson.
Concerning the Italian situation,
there is much significance attached
to the statement made by Premier
Venizelos Thursday about secret
treaties. He said:
IF we nave a society of nations, I
suppose those treaties will be done
away with. AS a matter of fact, they
were made before the real purpose
and Significance Of this wal developed
and before America came into the
conflict. They no longer apply.
".At Versailles we all agreed to the
fourteen peaae terms Of President
Wilson. That agreement abrogates
previous secret treaties, which are not
IN harmony with it. They are not con-
sistent with the self-determination of
peoples"
1t is taken for granted hat the
= Greek statesman had in mind the ar
rangement with Italy as one Of the
treaties that should be abrogated.
The most tangible and definite state.
ment thus far concerning the probable
Il chronology Of what is going to happen
in Paris within the next few months
has been given to me by a French.
man. who is an authority.
Clemenceau to Take a Rest
In the first place 1t is certain that
Premier Clemenceau is going to take
an eight-day rest in the south of
France. and nothing will really be
done before January /. Then there will
be three main sets of preliminary con,
ferences.
The first of these will be among the
missions of the various countries, each
sitting by itself to determine just what
fits own country wants. The French
Government has not yet completed al
the details of the plan that II Will
present to the representatives OF the
Allies and the United States, and 1t Il
equally true that the American, Brit
ish and Italian missions have mucf
more preliminary planning to do, eacl
by itself, before they will be ready t.
come together at the informal Inter
Allied Conference.
The second stage will be a series o
conferences of the four chief Power
concerned, France, America, England
and Italy. 1t Is not contemplated tina
Belgium, Serbia and the other Jesse
nations which have fought agains
Germany will participate in these frs
conferences of the Big -Four. It Is ex
pected that the Big Four will have fin
ished this chief work of the entire pro
ceedlngs and agreed to a plan by tn
snd of January.