Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-25
Orlando Answers
Wilson'S Refusal
Continued from Rage One

r Continued from Pase One
never denied that the treaty of London
= did not apply to Fiumc. but that the
italian claim is based on the princi-
ples of President Wilson's fourteen
points.
After referring to the conferences
that have been held in an effort to solve
the territorial problems affecting Italy,
during which, the premier said. Presl-
dent Wilson had had the Kindness to
recognize that truth and justice ar"
the monopoly of no one person and that
all men are subject to error. Premier
Orlando continued:
"And I add that the error is all the
easier as the problems to which the
principles apply are the more complex.
Humanity is such an immense thing.
the problems raised by the life of the
peoplc arc so infinitely complex. that
nobody can believe that he has found
in n determined number of proposals
as simple and sure way to solve them
Y MS If il were Il question of determining
tbc dimensions, the volume and the
weight of bodies with various units of
measure.
''Whilc remarking that more than
once the conference nearly failed com
pletely when it was a question of ap-
plying these principles. ] do not believe
that | am showing disrcspcCt toward
this high assembly. On the contrary,
these changes have been and still are
the consequences of human judgment.
mean to say that that experience has
proved the difficulties in tn" aprll-
rntion of these principles of an alb
stract nature to concrct" cases. mus
with all Difference but firmly. con
slider AZ uniustifcd the application
made bs President Wilson i'll his mes
sage of his principles t" the ita'lah
claims.
Refcrriuc to President Wilson S
statement. Premier Orlando says 1t en-
tircly purportS TO demonstrate that lnc
Italian claims beyond certain limits
laid down in his message violate the
nr;nc;nles upon which must be founded
the new regime of right. justice and llo-
rrty among peoples, and adds that ne
neyer denied these principles. and that
cven President Wilson would do him
tho iusticc TO say that in the long con
yersations they had had together. ne
Y lOrlapdo, had never relied upon me
formal authority of treaty D! Whlcn
be knew President Wilson was NOT
i,o,rd but merely relied on reason and
;"st;ce IIpon which Italy's claims were
based.
..r corsider as uniustiied the apnii-
cot;on that. in his statement. President
wilson makes of his principles toward
the Italian claims Premier orlanio
continucd, 'It is impossible for me
in n document Of this nature to repeat
the detailed arguments which nave ceen
produced in ltaly's behalf. -, a. mlght
simnly Say that no one VIII receive
y;fbout reserve the affirmation that the
colJanse of the Austro Hungarian en-
i ,;rc should imply the reduction of ltal-
ian aspirations
''It is even permissible to bell"Vc even
the contrary. that is. that at the very
moment when all the varied peoples
who constituted that empire sought TO
organize according to their cthnlc ana
national affnities, the essential problem
,.aused by the Italian claims can ant
must be completely solved.
ssNow. this problem is that of th'
Adriatic. in which are summed up al
the rights of both the ancient and th'
new Italy. all her sufferings Throughout
the centuries and all the benefits she Is
s e neStlneu 10 oTlhE !" Wv S' "
tional community
Citing the President 5 argument that
tho concessions granted bring Italy tt
it's natural dcfenses, the Alps, Signoi
Orlando says:
.'This recognition is of great impor
tance. provided the eastern flank o
this wall does not remain open and tina
the right Of Italy should be interpreted
to include the line of Mont Nevoso
which separates the waters running to
ward the Black sea and the Mrditer
ranean" He recalls that the Latin
from the earliest dawn Of Italian his
tory designated this mountain the 'ltal
ian limit"
Dangerous Breach
"without this protection" says th
premier, "a dangerous breach Is lei
in this admirable barrier Of the Alp'
rupturing the uuquestionable politica
economic and historical unity of II
Istriap peninsula I contend. further
more, that he who is entitled to Il
honor Of proclaiming 10 the world Il
right of the free determination of pee
pies should recognize this right f
Fiume. an ancient Italian city whl'
proclaimed its Italian nature before Il
Italian ships arrived-an admirable eS
ample of national conscience perpetl
ated throughout centuries.
''To deny this right only because
the small number concerned would me;
the admission that the criterion of ju
tice toward peoples varies according
their territorial extent
Premier Orlando then points out tn
Antwerp, Genoa and Rotterdam a
international ports serving as an outl
to divers. peoples. and territories wit
out having to pay for the privilege
sacrificing national conscience, and COZ
tinues
''It is impossible TO qualify as e
cessive the Italian aspirations iowa
the Dalmatian coast. Italy's bouleya
throughout centuries, which Rom
reniils and Nenetinn activity made no