New-York tribune., 1919-04-20
Rome ENJOYS Threaten to
Quit Parley Unless Will
son Will Give In on
Their Claim to Fiume
Demands Based on
Treaty of London
President and Orlando
Far Apart; Compromise
Is Expected To-day
New York Tribun

NeW York Tribuns
Special Cable Servtce
Copyright, 1919. New York Tribune Inc.
PARIS, April 19.-The Italian situa-
ton has developed into what might be
called a crisis. The Italians arc in
slsting that they cannot sign a treaty
with Germany, pledging themselves to
numerous settlements therein con-
tanned, unless their own problems are
determined by the Allies and America
simultaneously.
An exchange of kilograms between
d'Annunzio and Premier Orlando. pub-
.llshcd in the newspapers, epitomizes
the situation, the Italian poet advising
Orlando to depart from Paris, saving
the nation will support such action, and
Orlando expressing the hone that the
conference will still admit Italy's
claims.
Wilson Opposes Italy
The council of four again took up
the question to-day and adjourned
without having reached an agreement.
President Wilson is authoritatively
said to be of opinions which are un-
satisfactory to the Italians and as
definite as Orlando s, and tomorrow
should show whether n compromise is
possible.
Premier Clemenceau and Lloyd
George also are said to be unsvmna
thetic with the claims presented by
Orlando, but they are bound by the
Pact of London
The Italians have refused persistent
ly to sign the treaty with Germany
involving them in worldwide pledges
unless their problems are agreed upon
simultaneously, the Italians desiring
to annex the seaport of Fiume, which
is five miles beyond their Austrian
boundary established by the Pact of
London.
President Backs Slavs
President Wilson, on the other hand.
desires TO divide the Istrian Peninsula
between the Italians and the Slavs. con-
tending that the acceptance of the
Fourteen Points nullitied the secret
treaties between the Allies, but this at
titude the Italian government, as we'll
as the British and French, declines to
accept
France having gained substantial ac-
ceptance Of her claims through q COM
bat with the President, Italy now has
come to contest with Mr.. Wilson, with
P1cmiers Clemenceau and Lloyd George
looking on, pledged to support Italy,
although hoping that the President will
win.
AS the British were pledged to sup
port the French claim in Syria, al
though they did not desire that France
should receive the mandate therefor, so
now the British and French are pledged
to support the Italian claims (exclud-
ing Fiume), although they do not desire
to see the Italians annex fully those
sections of Dalmatia and Istria which
they pledged to her on entering the
war.
Insisting on Fiume
The Italians were willing hitherto to
forego part of their Dalmatian claims
in exchange for Fiume, which, having
always been corpus separatum, pro-
claimed union with Italy in October, on
foreseeing the collapse of Austria
Hungary.
But the hinterland adjoining being
Slavic in population, Mr.. Wilson con-
tends that the port, though a mai jority
of its people are Italians, cannot be
separated from Dalmatla. The Ital-
ians contend that the President is
straining at a gnat after having swal-
lowed the Saar Valley camel.
After months of discussion, the Ital-
Continued on nert page