Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-05-01

laid down in the subsequent addresses
were formally adopted with only single
reservation by the powers associated
against Germany and will constitute the
basis of peace with Germany. I do not
feel at liberty to suggest one basis fol
peace with Germany and another fo1
peace with Austria.
1t Willsbe remembered that, i'll reply
to communication from the Austrian
government, offering to enter into nego-
tlatIons for an armistice and peace on
the basis of the IA points to which j
haye alluded. ] said that there was one
matter to which those points no longer
applied.
'HThey have demanded autonomy for
the several states which had constituted
parts Of the Austro- Hungarian empire
and / pointed out that it must now be
left to the choice Of the people of these
several countries what their destiny and
political relations should be.
They we're chosen with the sympathy
of the whole world to be set in as inda-
pendent states. Their complete separa
ton from Austria and the complete dis
solution of the Austro- Hungarian en-
pire has given a new aspect and sig
nificance to the settlements which NAV
be effected with regard at any rate to
the eastern boundaries Of Italy.
= Personally, am quite willing that
Italy should be accorded along the whole
front Of her northern frontier and wher-
ever she comes into contact with Aus
trian territory all that was accorded
her in the so-called pact Of London, but
[ am of the clear opinion that the pact
of London can no longer apply to the
settlement of her eastern boundaries.
The line drawn in the pact of Lon
don was conceived for the purpose of
establishing an absolutely ADEQUATE
frontier of safety for Italy against anv
possible hostility or aggression on the
part of Austria.
But Austria Hungary no longer ey-
lists. These eastern frontiers will touch
countries stripped of the military and
naval power of Austria. settled III inter-
dependence of Austria and organized for
the purpose Of satisfying legitimate ma
tabnal aspirations and created states not
hostile to the new European order but
arising out of it. interested in its main
tenance. dependent upon the cultivation
OF friendships and bound to a common
policy of peace and accommodation by the
covenant d the league Of nations.
1T is with these facts ia mind that |
have approached the Adriatic question.
II is commonly agreed. and very heart
ily adhere to the agreement. that the
posts of Trieste and Pola. and with them
the greater part of the Istrian peninsula
should be ceded to Italy, her eastern
frontier running along the natural stra-
tegic line established by the physical
conformation of the country--a line
which it has been attempted to draw
with some degree Of accuracy on the at
tached map.
within this line on the Italian side
will lie considerable bodies of non-Ita-
lian populations. but their fortunes are
so naturally linked by the nature of the
country itself with the rest of the Ita-
Ian people that ! think their inclusion
is fully justified.
There would be no justification. in
ny Judgment, in including Fiume or any
part Of the coast line to the south of
Fiume, within the boundaries of the
Italian kingdom. Fiume is by situation
and BY all the circumstances of its de-
velopment not an Italian, but an inter-
national port, serving the countries to
the east and north Of the Gulf Of Fiume.