The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-25
WILSON MAY FACE
TASK Of HOLDING
ALLIES TO PACTS
Lawrence Shows That Presi-
dent May Be Looked to for
Forcing Allied Powers to
Live Up to Principles.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The News Selmltar's Special Core.

a
WASHINGTON, March 25,-What Is
the matter with the peace conference
at Paris? Has it struck a snag simply
over phraseology of the league of ma
lions plan or is the trouble much deeper
IMAM that-a clean-Cut issue between
the selfish and unselfsh nations, be-
tween those who believe military VIC
tory can be used to annex territory and
10 satisfy tmperialistic ambitions and
those who believe that Bolshevism and
anarchy are coming to Europe unless
territorial questions are settled along
lines of nationality, equity and demoe-
facy as the allies theWseves professed
when their statesmen accepted as their
battle cry for the war-"maklng the
world safe for democracy"
There is little said in official quarters
here, but there Is no Disgusting the fact
that showdown is fully expected and
define the issue, Take cablegrams from
Paris in the last 4S hours and put them
all together and We find in nutshell
that these famous treaties made by the
entente in 1915 and which Russian revo-
lutionists, in their entrance to power in
Perograd, published to the world as a
demonstration of the imperialistic ten
dencies OF the entente, have now be-
be attached to the allied cause? Plain
Shall these treaties be regarded as
valid? Shall the odium of Imperialism
be attached to the allied caunse? Plain
ly President Wilson says mo and there
is ample evidence that Great Britain
agrees with the United States.
Look to America.
The British, under the duress Of war,
agreed to those treaties to hold their
allies In line, so while they are signato-
ries thereto they are anxious that the
United states, which did not sign them,
shall hold these treaties null and void.
What did those treaties contain? They
would give Fiume to the Italians.
They would give the left bank of the
Rhine to the French. They would, il
carried into effect, unsettle the peace
of Europe just as did Alsace- Lorraine,
because the lines of nationality would
not be recognized--this Is the view
point Of the opposition. On the other
hand, in support of the treaties, Italy
claims the pacts were a compromise and
that the SlaY interests were fully repre-
sented by RUSSIA fact which the
Russians Of course today. deny because
Russia under tire czaf and Russia of to-
day are two different things
France has set up the contention that
the left bank Of the Rhine Is needed as
a military bulwarR against Germany,
and the devastated regions Of France
are offered as proof of the military ne
SeSSlly 10 lnlS tne united states ana
Great Britain argue that Germany will
be made impotent by reducing her army
and navy to impotency, and that with
the development of aerial torpedoes and
aviation the mere annexation of terri
tory does not afford military security
but that disarmament alone is the true
protection. Thus the contest Says
back and forth, with President Wilson
and Premier Lloyd George fighting to
make good the wartime association,
that the allies fought for democracy
and unselfish aims, while other mem
bers of the conference deny vehemently
that they want anything resembling
annexation" but continue to advance
their claims under the guse of 'neu-
traization" or strategic frontiers or
military necessity"
First, the Italians argued that posses
sion of Fiume was necessary as base
on the Adriatic to prevent the Jugo-
Slavs from attacking them through the
upbuilding of a powerful navy. Then
the American and British delegates
said in effect: "lf that is your only
apprehension, We shah see to it that
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