The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-25
EXPLAINS HOPES
Of SERBIANS FOR
AGES IN FUTURE
Serb Minister TO U. S. Dis
CuSSeS Aspirations of Nation
in View of Coming Peace
Council Sessions.

PARIS, Dec. 25. (By the Associated
Press-The aspirations Of the Serbian
government for the future of its gov
were explained TO the CORE
spondent by DR.. M, R. Vesnitch, Ser
bian minister to France, who In all
probability will be one Of the Serbian
delegates to the peace conference. NJ.
Vesnitch was the head q the Serbian
mission to the United States in the
winter OF 1917. DR., Vesnttch said:
The Serbian people, composed OF
Croats. Stevens and ~Serbians, living
within the boundaries of what hitherto
has been called Serbia and In the
former Austro-Hungarian empire, mum
Der about $4,000, 900. These are an eth-
biological whole n they elect to be
come one nation and under the prin-
cipIes laid down by President Wilson
and accented by the governments of
Great Britain, France n Italy as
conditions precedent to the armistices
signed with Austria and Germany.
approximately 70 per cent OF our
people are orthodox In religion, ~ per
cent Catholic and 10 per cent Protest
ant Jewish or Mohammedan. As the
Montenegrins have decided to become
a part OF greater Serbia, we being the
| same race, the frontieJs OF our country
are Greece. Bulgaria, Rumania, Hun
gary and the Adriatic. That Is u
| conception OF the future Serbia as a
| racial whole-the realization of our race
| aspirations which have survived
| through centuries of war, division and
"But what Of the Italian claims to
the Adriatic coast?" the correspondent
asked.
Disputes Claim.
Italy" replied Dr., Vesnitch, &C
cording to the convictions of the Ser
HAN government, has no claim to the
| eastern Adriatic coast, The govern,
| ments of Great Britain, Russia and
| France arranged by agreement win
| Italy to give her that coast, or a
large part Of it, at the London con
ference in April, 1915. Had Russia the
| right to DISPOSE of the Adriatic coast?
| or England? Or France? They were
each giving away what had not be-
longed to them. -,
I'VE do not recognize the title Of
Italy under that agreement to any part
Of the Adriattc.' NJ, .. A.
NO" declared the Serbian minister,
Not to Trieste, but | would not go
into that question at this moment
The Italian claims to Trieste have been
so persistent and continuous for a long
period that we are Wiling 10 leave
that question apart.
"The Serbian government and people
stand squarely upon the basis OF Presi-
dent wilson's principles. Those princi-
pIes have been accepted by the gov,
| ernments Of Great Britain, France and
| Italy. They have been accepted with
M limitations except on the points
| concerning the freedom of the seas and
tho Inclusion Of the recognition of dam
ages which must be paid for injuries
done,
the agreement made by Italy. France
and Great Britain with the government
| Of the United States in the applica-
ton of those principles in arranging
| the boundaries Of nations and races.
| There being relatively few Italians on
the eastern Adriatic coast as compared
with Slavs, the Italian government must
| consider this as a political question,
while we consider it a racial one"