Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-04-25
WILSON STANDS FIRM.
Will Not Violate Sacred Terms OF the
Armistice.

| VIII NOI Violate 0dSiSo ~
| Armistice.
It looks like Italy will w1thdra"
from the peace conference because
President Wilson is unwilling to vio-
late the sacred terms OF the armlstlce
Italy has been demanding the port OF
Fiume on the northeastern Adriatic
land with it, Of course, control or the
LANDS behind it. The population is
lnon-Italian. Italy's claim is based on
secret promises of England and France
at a secret agreement In London De-
fore Italy entered the war. The -Four
teen Points on which the armlstlce
was founded, repudiate secret treaties
and declare for the right of self-deter-
mination Mr.. Wilson holds that Italy
waved her secret agreements when she
signed the armistice, and also she con-
sented to self-determination OF ma
tions. The italian people are said to
be set on anneXing Fiume, and 1t s
believed that in case Of denial, Pre-
mier Orlando's government will fall
and the country will be thrown into a
state of anarchy. President Wilson
will not be guilty Of bad faith and he
refuses to agree to the Italian de-
mands. 1t is understood that the Ital-
ian representatives will Immediately
withdraw from the conference. Presl-
dent Wilson has made a full and
frank statement to the people OF
America and of the world. Following
is the
Presidents Statement.
In view of the capital importance
of the question affected, and in order
to throw all possible light upon what
is involved in tleir settlement, hope
that the following statement Will con-
tribute to the final formation of opin-
ion and to a satisfactory solution:
when Italy entered the war she
entered upon basis of a definite pri-
vate understanding with Great Britain
Of London.
Circumstances Altered.
Since that time, the whole face Of
circumstances has been altered. Many
other powers, sreat and small, have
entered the struggle, with no knowl-
edge of that private unde standing.
THE Austro-1 hungarian empire, then
the enemy of Europe, and at whose
kept in the event Of victory, has gone
to pieces and no longer exists.
Not only that. but the several
parts of that empire, it is agreed now
by Italy and all her associates, are to
| be erected into independent states
and associated in a league Of nations,
not with those who were recently our
enemies, but with Italy herself and
the powers that stood with Italy in
the great war for liberty.
New Orders Set Up.
we are to establish their liberty
as we'll as our own. They are to be
among the smaller states whose in
terests are henceforth to be safe
guarded as scrupulously as the inter-
csts of the most powerful states.
"The war was ended, moreover, by
proposing to Germany an armistice
and peace which should be founded
on certain clearly defined principles
which set up n new order of right and
justice.
Upon those principles the peace
with Germany has been conceived not
only but formulated. Upon those
principles it will be executed. We can
not ask the great body of powers 10
propose and effect peace with Aus
tria and establish new basis OF lnde-
pendence and right in the states which
originally constituted the Austro- Hun
garian empire and the states OF the
Balkan group on principles of another
kind. We must apply the same prln-
ciples of the settlement of Europe IN
those quarters that we have applied
| in the peace with Germany.
Fiume Must be Open.
"It was upon tn" explicit avowal OF
those principles that the initiative Tor
peace was taken. 1t Is upon them
that the whole structure OF peace must
| rest
"if those principles are to be ad-
hcred to, Fiume must serve as the
outlet of the commerce. not of Italy.
bu, of the land to the north and
northeast of that port; Hungary, 30.
hemia, Rumania, and the states OF
new Jugo-Slav group. To assign
Fiume to Italy would be to create the
feeling that we have deliberately put