New-York tribune., 1919-04-27
There Would Be Peace in
a Week if Wilson Would
Keep His Hands Off,
Washingtonian Declares
Pit,manComes 10 Defence
Italian Claims for Fiume
Are Based on Croundless
Fear, Nevada Man Asserts
Nc,o l'or': T-5uns
WASHINGTON Purcau

WASHINGTON, April 26.-"If Pres
;dent Wilson would keep his hands
Of and devote his attention to Amer
ican affairs a just peace would be ar
ranged in Europe in week"
This was the comment wired here
to-day from Los Angeles by Senator
Niles Poindextcr, of Washington, in
response to request for his views
n the Italian situation.
"The Italian situation IS typical
,ase in which the league of nations
wculd require US TO intervene TO en-
force peace" said Senator PoindoXter.
nrbe American people will not consent
70 levy taxes and sacrifice soldiers in
such quarrel. Having delayed declar-
NO war on Austria, and having never
declared war on Turkey or Bulgaria,
/. il quite presumptuous now, for us,
.he Allies having won the victory. to
step in and undertake to dictate the
.arms Of peace. Europe knows more
about its affairs than Colonel House
r his secretaries can learn in forty
years. If President Wilson would keep
his hands off tad devote his attention
10 American affairs a just peace would
be arranged III Europe in week
Pittman Supports Wilson
Senator Pittman, of Nevada, Demo
frst, expressed contrary view here
to-day, and in statement in which he
tharacterizes the italian claims for
fiume rs "based alone on groundlesA
fear" gives urrescrved support to the
President course in the Italian situa-
ton. Senator pittman said:
"Thc Presidents declaration has not
been answered and cannot be answered.
This portion OF his statement which /
now read, will make it clear to all
Americans that there could be no last
Ing peace If 1t were placed in the pow
or OF any nation TO prevent free com
merce from Central Europe through
Ito only port at Fiume:
"If those principles are to be ad-
hered to, Fiume must serve as the out
let Of the commerce not of Italy, but
Of the land to the north and north
east OF that port-Hungary, Bohemia
Rumania and the states of the new
Jugo-Slav group.
ITO assign Fiume to Italy would be
to create the feeling that we have de-
llberately put the port upon which all
those countries chiefly depend for
their access to the Mediterranean in
the hands of a power of which it did
lot form an integral part, and whose
sovereignty, If set up there, must inevi-
tably seem foreign and not domestic
or Identified with the commercial and
Industrial life of the regions which the
port must serve. 1t is for that reason,
no doubt, that Fiume was not included
IN the Pact of London, but there def
ntely assigned to the Croatians.'
Argument Based on Fear
THE only argument presented by the
yaiian representatives is an argument
based alone on groundless fear. Fear
mas from time immemorial been one of
The chief excuses for aggression. 1t
Was the excuse of fear that Germany
used to justify its aggressions in the
BALKANS, IN France, and in Belgium.
There is nothing for the world to fear
IN this great settlement except greed
and fear Fear is the excuse of a
coward. Fear is the excuse of a hypo-
srlte. Fear is the cloak with which
miilary power has always covered its
greed Fear is the argument used bv
,ae detractors and instructors of our
President.
No nation to-day dares base its de-
mands for territory on greed, and, with
ile establishment of the league of ma.
nohs and peace based upon justice,
me world will not again be called upon
fear.
!, What have our people to get out Of
"a ne war except to destroy war? rs
1ere statesman so little that he will
sfgue publicly that the mothers who
gaze their sons and the soldiers who
marched to certain death at Chateau
merry, San Mihiel and in the Argonne
aad no high aspirations, have no con-
:. sseience, that they were dying to bene-
~ the world. No humane, liberty /
oSlng people would tolerate such an
ss'gument for minute. They died /
.sshtng, that their loved ones and /
.aose that should follow them would /
ae' - have to again suffer the horrors
u u war with brutal military system I
.a'ast upon our country as we'll as
'as rest Of the world"