Evening star., 1919-04-24
Empire in Pieces.
Must Extend Principles.

THE war was ended. moreover.
by proposing to Germany an ar
mistice and peace which should be
founded on certain clearly defined
principles. which set up a new or
der of right and justice. Upon
those principles the peace with
Germany has been conceived, not
only, but formulated. Upon sthose
principles 1t will be executed. We
cannot ask the great body of pow
ers to propose and effect peace with
Austria and establish a new basis
of independence and right in the
states which original constitut-
ed the Austro-Hungarian empire
and in the states of the Balkan
group on principles of another
kind. We must apply the same
principles to the settlement OF
Europe in those quarters that We
have applied in the peace with
Germany. 1t was upon the explicit
avowal of those principles that
the initiative for peace was taken.
1t is upon these that the whole
structure of peace must rest.
Must Serve as Outlet.
IF those principles are to be ad-
hered to. Fiume must serve as the
outlet of the commerce. not Of
italy, but Of the land to the north
and northeast of that port; Hun
gary, Bohemia. Rumania and the
states of the new Jugoslav group.
To assign Fiume to Italy would be
to create the feeling that We have
deliberately put the port upon
which all those countries chiefly
depend for their access to the Med
fterranean in the hands of a pow
er of which it did not form an in
tegral part and whose sovereignty,
If set up there, must inevitably
seem foreign. not domestic or iden-
titled with the commercial and in
dustrial life of the regions which
the port must serve. 1t is for that
reason. no doubt, that Fiume was
not included in the pact of Lon
don, but there definitely assigned
to the Croatians.
Seen as Necessity.
"And the reason why the line of
the pact of London swept away
many of the islands of the eastern
coast Of the Adriatic and around
the portion of the Dalmatian coast
which lies most open to that sea
was not only that here and there
on those islands and here and
there on that coast there are
bodies of people Of italian blood
and connection. b6t also, and. no
doubt, chiefly, because 1t was felt
that it was necessary for Italy to
have a foothold amidst the chan
nels of the eastern Adriatic in
order that she might make her
aggression of-Austria-Hunga
But Austria-Hungary no longer
exists 1t Is proposed that the
fortifcations which the Austrian
government constructed there
shall be razed and permanently
destroyed.
As to Armaments.
1T is part also of the new plan
of the European order which GEN.
ters in the league Of nations that
the new states erected there shall
accept a limitation of armaments.
which puts aggression out of the
question There can be no fear of
the unfair treatment of groups of
Italian people there. because ade-
quate guarantees will be given,
under international sanction, Of
the equal and equitable treatment
of all racial or national minorities.
In brief. every question asso-
ciated with this settlement wears
a new aspect-a new aspect given
IL by the very victory for right
for which Italy has made the su-
preme sacrifice of blood and treas
ure. Italy, along with the four .
other great powers. has become
one of the chief trustees of the
new order which she has played
so honorable a part in establish
ing.
Unity Is Restored.
"Oa the north and northeast her
restored. along the whole sweep
of the Alps from northwest to
southeast Of to the very end of the
Istrian peninsula. including all the
great watershed within which
Trieste and Pola lie, and all the
fair regions whose face nature has
turned toward the great peninsula
upon which the historic life of the
Latin people has been worked out
through centuries of famous story
ever since Rome was first set upon
her seven hills.
Her ancient unity is restored
Her lines are extended to the great
walls which are her natural de-
fense. II is within her choice to
be surrounded by friends. to ex-
hibit to the newly liberated peoples
across the Adriatic that noblest
quality of greatness. magnanim-
ity. friendly generosity. the pref
srence of justice over interest
Tho nations associated with her.