The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-26
Treaties Suppressed.

These treaties were suppressed by
many European censors but were pub
lished and distributed to other news
| papers In America by the New York
| Evening Post, as an example OF secret
| diplomacy. But, the treaties were not
fully understood at the time in Amer
lea nor given much attention because
Of the excitement Of military activity
on the western front, Thus, the London
Chronicle, which often reflects the
views OF Premier Lloyd George, now
says openly that while England may
have been pledged to he restoration
Of Alsace Lorraine, the annexation u
the German provinces on the left bank
of the Rhine never constituted a Brit
ish war aim"
Here are the texts of two articles
in these secret treaties which both
France and Italy are supporting and
| which are responsible FOR the situation
In Paris today.
"The territory on the left bank OF
the Rhine, not included in the compo-
sition Of French territory shall form
an autonomous and neutral government,
and shall be occupied by French armies
until such time as the enemy govern
ment completely fulfills all the condi-
lions and guarantees mentioned in the
treaty Of peace"
Inasmuch as these conditions and
guarantees will take 30 to 100 years to
fulfil, men like Marshal Foch have
come out openly for annexation or at
least the permanent occupancy by the
French troops Of territory which is pop
ulated entirely by Germans. Rather
than submit to this the Ebert cabinet
in Germany may find itself compelled
to adopt the attitude Of the Russians
after Brest- Litovsk, al attitude OF
passive nonresistance, but whether this
will be sufficient to stay the Bolshevist
movement is a question.
The next article that Is causing con-
Germ is In the Italian agreement with
France and Great Britain and Russia,
which says in part,
Under the imminent treaty of peace,
Italy must receive-the district OF
Trentino, the entire Southern Tyrol to
the river Bremen; the city n suburbs
Of Trieste; all Of lstria to Quarnero in
GLIDING VolosCa and lstrian Islands OF
Cherso and Lussino, land some smaller
islands.) In the same manner Italy
Is to receive the Province of Dalmatia
in its present form, etc, etc"
lnasmucb as most Of these names
were unfamiliar to American readers,
the Significance Of the article. passed
unnoticed but the disturbances between
the J~ugo-Slavs, who are Clamoring for
an outlet to the sea through the port
OF Hume while the Italians Insist that
practically everything on the east side
OF tne AuFlAllC Oh NHlue must DC Ctueu
to them, arise from this secretly made
treaty. That Is why so much unrest
exists with the youth part Of Europe
today.
Friends OF the allied cause nave al
ways attempted to explain these treat
les by saying offers OF territory had
to be made to get Italy into the war
or to catch the smaller neutrals like
Rumania. Great Britain's part In sign
ing them liz usually explained on the
grounds that she had no alternative
at the time. Russia. under Sazanoff.
was persistent for Constantinople and
a general division Of expected spoils
was going on, but, Great Britain's posi-
ton. az expressed by unofficial spokes-
men, Is that acceptance by all the al
lies Of President Wilson'S fourteen
points. v~itiates these secret treaties be-
cause the points declare absolutely for
open covenants as well as for a def
milton OF boundaries along recogniz-
able lines Of nationality. Germany and
Austria accepted the fourteen points as
a basis for peace and the allies In their
note granting an armlstice did the
same with reservations only on repara-
ton and freedom Of the seas.
Nullified Treaties.
The British argue the acceptance OF
the fourteen points was a pledge and
that this action automatically abro-
gated all previous agreements about
the division Of territory. Italy de-
clares whether these treaties were
secret or not they are sacred and that
Great Britain and France must stand
by them. Italy, Of course. comedies
the right of the United States TO ig-
not In the European war at the time
and did not commit herself To anv nact