The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-11

purpose, Italy seeks to make Albania
as big as possible and she is insisting
on retaining for it Northern Epirus,
which is Greek, desires to join : new
istence in the present war before Con-
stantine chose the German course and
well-nigh ruined his nation.
At Valona, in Albania, which faces
Brindlsi and overlooks the straits of
Otranto, Italy. plans to erect a great
naval post, which will in reality be
the Gibraltar of the AdriatfA. In do
frontiers as far away from this naval
port as possible. This is the prac-
teal reason for her demand that the
Greeks abandon their claims to North
ern Eplrus. But the demand is UNI
reasonable and 1t Is ito be, hoped that
It will not be honored at Versailles.
Argyrocastro, TepelleHi, Delvino, Santi,
Quaranta, Korytza, these towns, wholly
Greek in sympathy, should be returned
to the new Hellas.
Two weeks ago l pointed out the
clash between the SlaVs and the Ital-
ians over the Dalmatian coast. 1t will
be seen that In the lower Adriatic and
in the Aegean 1t Is the Greeks who
nave reason, and just reason, to COM
PLAIN Of Italian im%perialistic aspira-
tiohs' One must sincerely hope that
- '' ~ " IibtI utEt tldlIlS
which do violence to her own history
and, her own aspirations as expressed
IN half a century of longing for Tri-
este and the Trentino. II she earns
the lasting hostility of both the south
ern Slavs and the Greeks, she viii
rope which can hardly be exaggerated
= At this point l should like to cor
Iect an error In one of the previous
artlcles, which. gave cause to a certain
friendly criticism in Serb and lingo.
Slav, quarters. There are, as | then
pointed out. three separate statements
whlen AFFECT the Jugo-Slav and Italian
between Italy and her allies, France,
brl'aln n Russia, which preceded Ital-
IAN entrance intO the war. This as
signed to Italy substantially the terri
tory she has occupied as result of the
Northern Dalmatia-
This agreement was never accepted
py the Slavs; 1t was made over their
heads n against their rights and
interests. In refusing to ACCEPT it now,
as they do, the. are not repudiating
an agreement made by them, but one
which disposed OF their lands and peo-
pies without their consent or agree
ment. Certainly such an agreement
can have no binding force for the
United States and 1t does violence Ia
al the principles expressed in Presi-
dent Wilson'S many utterances.
In addition to this agreement of Lon
don. is that of Corfu, made between
the various tribes Of the Jugo- Slavs,
n arranging for an association be-
tween these tribes, including the Serbs
OF Montenegro and Serbia. This is the
basis for the new Jugo- Slavic state,
which has been constructed in very
recent days. But this agreement did
not surrender any Of the Slav claims
to Adriatic coast lands.
Finally, there is q Delphic utterance
at Rome last spring, which committed
Italy to nothing but sympathy with the
SlaV aspiration for a united nation and
to a rather indefinite recognition OF
the principle of self-determination and
the claims of race and language in set
Ting The disputes between Italians and
Siavs, But this was, as my Slay
friends point out, purely Platonic and
has not yet been embodied in any def
mite document, nor has the concession
made In language been made in fact
as yet by the Italian government.
have said and | repeat that this
problem Of the Adriatlc, with that Of
the Aegean added, Is the most trouble.
some OF the material questions to be
settled at Versailles, n only the Pol.
potential obstacles. AS IL stands Ital.
ian aspirations contemplate doing VIC.
lence to the legitimate ambitions o.
two small peoples. the Southern Slav:
and the Greeks. Behind the Italian
purposes lies the sanction Of France
Britain and Russia, which was giver
at the critical hour when 1t was neces,
sary TO pay my price to persuade Ital,
TO enlist. But however the government.
may be bound, It is clear that boil
the British and the French peopl,
and rely upon the United States, which
is not bound by any pledge to Italy
but by every pledge made to her owr
peoples and the world.
II Dalmatia falls to Italy in Who'll,
or In part, II Italy insists upon tn,
possession OF Fiume and of Cattaro, /
she prevents Greece from re~gainins
Epirus m r~eoccupying Rhodes ant
the other Aegean islands, then there Il
a beginning of a new eastern question
Neither the Greeks nor the Slavs will
accept as final such n solution. As tn,
southern Slav state grows strong, an
It will. the peril Of conflict will increase
and Italy In self-defense with be led Il
intrigue with the Bulgars and perhap
with the Russians, seeking to gain allie
against the Slavs and the Greeks
Then at no distant time we shall Sc,
the old disease breaking out again.
The true solution lies in the sacri
flee by Italy of aspirations inconsisten
with the new period, aspirations fraugh
with evil consequences. requiring larg,
armies and a strong fleet to vindicatt
and certain TO be submitted to a new
decision OF arms at the first oppor
tunity. American sympathy with Ital.
! is very keen. We shall have many OPP
! ~portunities in the future 10 serve tn,