The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-23
ITALIANS WILL WIN,
WASHINGTON THINKS
Capital Convinced ID Points
Will Be Found Flexible as
in Other Cases.
NO DANGER OF BREAKUP"
Secret Alliance Between L. s.
and France Myth, Says
State Department.
Sp,ciai Dcspatch TO The Sun.


AWAsHrNGToN. April 22.-Oficial in
formation reaching here does not pic
ture the crisis in Paris over the Italian
situation as nearly so serious as some
OF the reports indicate. The consensus
IL that this impasse, like the others
which have preceded Il. viii be sue
cessfully overcome and that within
day or two perhaps news will come
OF mutually satisfactory adjustment.
According to Indications received
lately from the Peace Conference there
IL no fundamental reason why Italy's
claims cannot be so interpreted as to
come within the scope OF the flexible
principles involved in the so-called
fourteen points. These points were ad-
mittedy stretched to accommodate
every vital British need and every vital
Frenoh.need. though II took some study
to adapt the phraseology OF the proposed
terms in such manner as TO apparently
cause a minimum of conflict between
sctual facts and the principles which
in their application led up to them.
Italian craftsmanship now takes the
position that the so-called principles
should be applied to the advantage of
Italy just as they were applied to the
other allies. Diplomats here are con-
WINGED that Italy ultimately will get
about what the Italians expect and that
the fourteen points will not embarrass
1taly's claims any more than they en-
harrassed those of France and Great
Britain.
Breaking Resistance.
Italy's threats therefore are regarded
as simply a means of breaking down
such resistance as might otherwise pre-
vail.
The impression here is that Italy ac-
tually is asking for more than she ex-
poets to get and is ready to compromise
at the right moment. The suggestion
that President Wilson will decline to
yield is regarded as unfounded, espe-
cially If refusal to yield would mean
the breakup of the present plans for
speedy peace. 1t is generally admitted
that Italys claims are much more vital
to Italy than any one of the so-called
principles is to the United States or the
allies
So far there Is no record of any. ma
TONS vital interests being sacrificed for
these principles and in every case. diplo-
mats point out. the principles have had
to be distorted TO meet practical needs.
President Wilson himself has now ap-
parently abandoned the hope of making
the practical peace problems conform to
his fourteen points A confidential cable
received in Administration circles from
Paris to-day states -esat President VIII
son will take no action with respect to
1taly's claims or with respect to an al
lance with France, which might In the
slightest degree jeopardize the League
Of Nations conflict with its funda-
mental principles. But nothing Is now
being said about the fourteen points.
No secret Alliance.
The message from Paris was In reply
to a cablegram Of inquiry regarding the
Presidents attitude toward secret al
lance" which some of the French news
papers have limited at between France.
Great Britain and the United States. 1t
Us now established that there has been
no thought of A secret alliance. espe-
cially as the United States Government
is constituted that a secret alliance
is manifestly impossible. President Will
son is understood to have simply in
formed Premier Clemenceau that he
would endeavor to have the United States
Senate ratify a special treaty whereby
the United States would agree to come
to Frances assistance in the event Of
that nation being attacked by Germany.
Whether Premier Clemenceau has re-
garded this assurance as sufficient to
forego some OF the actual and physical
guarantees he wants for France against
possible future German aggression has
not yet been divulged. Such an assur-
ance on the part of the President would
not transgress his constitutional prerog
ratives. il is explained by officials, and
would not violate the fundamental prin-
ciples of the League OF Nations IL the
treaty were submitted TO the league and
conducted~in the open.