Evening star., 1919-03-22
ITALIANS DISCLOSE
LEAGUE WEAKNESS
Threat to Conference Deem
ed Tantamount to Repudia-
tion of Efficacy.
FEARGENERAL WEAKENING


this city were not at all surprised al
the reports from Paris that the Italian
peace commission had notified the su
preme council it would withdraw un
less assurance is held out that Fiume
and the eastern coast of Dalmatis
shall be given to Italy. For weeks
Italy's contention upon this score has
been pressed and her position was
we'll known.
Tantamount to Population.
Chagrin was expressed by the en-.
thusiastic supporters Of the league OF
nations covenant that Italy should refuse
to relegate the dispute to the league
when formed. Italy's course was deemed
to be tantamount to reputation of the
asserted efficacy of a league of ma
tions in one of the very cases for
which the concert of nations is de-
signed. Italy threatens to refrain
from making the peace of the world
and her course points to resort to
arms in the last analysis.
Here, apparently. it was said today
is where the proposed league Of na-
tions bogs down before it fairly gets
a start. Italy finds herself intrenched
in a position which she claims is but
tressed by justice. logic and industrial
and economic reasons. whereupon she
refuses to recede and take chances
with a league of nations or any sub
lection of her rights to determination
by others.
1taly's Contention.
Briefly reviewed again-for the facts
have repeatedly been stated-Italy's
argument is that Fiume is properly
Italian territory. under President Will
seif-determination OF peoples as to their
governing. The population is Italian
by race. language and habit.
So well recognized are these consid-
erations by the Italian general public
that the delegates to the peace congress
lost. There would probably be grave
internal disorders.
Jugoslavish Claims.
The contention Of the Serbs and
Jugoslavs for Fiume and the Dalma-
tian coast and islands is that Fiume
furnishes the newly created confed-
GRAFTON OF Jugoslovakia with q win
dow on the sea- OF course, other
windows, could pc opened. but this
one is already there. easiest OF access
by established lines of communica- :
tion to the interior states. They fall
back upon President Wilson's alleged
assurances that small nations should
not become '.pent-up Uticas." but
should have their outlets and COM
mercial breathing places.
" II ns
Fiume is made more embarrassing to
the supreme council 1t is explained
by the fact that similar problems are
bound up in the Greek and French
claims to Smyrna and the Polish
claims to Lemberg, and Danzig.
Difficult of Settlement.
Oficials here realize that the settle
ment of the three problems will be
very difficult and require all the tact
and diplomacy OF the master minds
Of the peace conference.
Opponents of the present form of
the covenant Of a league Of nations
were inclined today to draw infer
ences from the Ffume incident dis
paraging to the efficacy Of the
v hole scheme of a concert of nations.
few irreconcilables are in favor of
some kind of a league. 1t was feared
that Italys stand may have the effect
Of weakening confidence in the gen.
eral. plan as vel! as the present
covenant.
Italy, they said. by her threat to
withdraw from the peace conference
unless her claims are met, virtually
takes the stand that there are some
questions so vital to a nations inter-
est and so obviously just and founded
on every consideration of fact. that
a nation cannot abandon them. nor
even submit them to adjudication by
others.
Find Support Of Monroe Plan.
Defenders of the Monroe doctrine
will. 1t is said. find in the pending in
cident support for their contention
that the Monroe doctrine must be ex-
cepted from the operations of the
league Of nations covenant.
1t was also pointed out today that
this incident is another proof that a
league of nations covenant would be
no inviolable assurance Of immunity
from war since here is concrete
example Of the insistence by a nation
upon it's clearly defined rights as 1t
views them with the expressed de-
termination to persist, even at the
risk Of starting hostilitfes anew and
the certainty of delaying settleme mt
~ world neace