Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-29

DELAY OF PEACE
Leagues,as First Step Essen
tial as Broad Founda-
ton for Pact
REALLY SPEEDS TREATY
Protraction of Negotiations
Due Largely to Boundary and
Reparation Questions
Nv WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

covDrioht, 1919, By Public Ledger Co,
The project of the league of nations
mas In the minds Of its opponents 10
bear the blame for many things. Ac-
cording to their view, IL it had not been
Tor the league of nations peace would
now have been declared and everything
would be smooth and easy in the sphere
~ the late war II is their view that
only the absurd insistence OF idealists
has postponed the settlement needed 10
produce normal times The fact IS en-
tirely otherwise The league OF nations
was made the first subject OF consider
ntion by the conference because 1t could
be more promptly and easily disposed
OF than other issues rearing their ugly
heads among the Allies. These needed
.arnest and painful consideration III
) rhnf,dential interviews between the rep
resentatives Of the leading powers Inc
nm facts we're not known to the confer
-. and tho issues were not ready for
open discussion.
Indemrities Complicate Task
THE detay IN fixing the terms or the
league would not have happened nut lof
TIC sett,ement of the other questions
.-.,,hlasone ia the
one or the lloe' ,,o,
amount of the indemnities which France
and Belgium and Italy and England anc
Serbia should exact from the CerIr1
r,overs. 1t is complicated with ths
,,.,astion how much the central powers
csr nav Each Premier has found him
Ike anharrassed by promises to his
,,nn,,o as IN what the treaty must con
ts,n In this regard, each one has found
& that his claims, based only on the view
& ,,nin+ of himself and his countrymen
,I,,st l,o moderated.
Another burning question is that o
+ha boundary Of Italy on the AdriatiC
rtalv insists on having Fiume becaus,
- mort has probably a majority o
Ttalians in it but 1t has always beer
tbe mort of the Slav dependency of Hun
rarv and II is surrounded by a countr,
itn wnlch II mas ''ie s..,,t,, a,r,,i,,e,I,
So,
Italy Reported incorporating
IN ia the normal and appropriate sea
y,ort of the protected Jugo-Slav state
lonnino the minister of foreign affair
is
y ana stiff in his demand. Ffume has be
d4,rne a political issue in Italy. Orlando
3 man Of more judicial and concilator
hind. ia said to be embarrassed by Son
,iino Roth are affected by the fact tha
the italian elections are nearly at hant
( Then as A. BACKGROUND to the Who'll
settlement is the question Of the defens
6f France against another and sudde
attack by Germany Marshal Foch an
the French military strategists see n
,AnmnIete protection unless France /
some way controls the crossing of III
Rhine. A proposal which has receive
1reat support in the French papers an
which has been urged by France ha
been the creation of a buffer state calle
Rhineland. The objection to this is ths
Rhineland is really German. Its seps
ration from Germany is not within III
Basis of the armistice. 1t has neve
within centuries been French. Its syn
,aathies would all be with Germany.
would create a new Alsace- -Lorrain
with the boot on the other leg. 1t woul
germany and persistent ,ste nnort;,, lny,.aIlGn to
fered