Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-23
CASE OF FIUME
BEARS WILSON
OUT ON LEAGUE



with the broad general principles
OF maintaining peace in the world,
while he has unquestionabIy won
over hundreds of thousands of per
son to the belief that the league
covenant, however imperfect at the
start. can be revised, corrected and
made operative and is worth try
ing, nevertheless the prejudice Of
large parts of the population have
been awakened by the separate
linesof attack on the part of the
league opponents
FIRST, the Irish sympathizers in
the United States have been led to
believe that article 10 would not
mean neutrality on the part of the
United States but actual participa-
ton alongside Great Britain in the
event that Ireland tried seIf-d eter-
mlnation by the ancient method of
physical revolution.
Second, the Italians have been
worked up to opposition because
OF the prominent part President
wilson played in denying Fiume to
S1taly.
The PrO-German Element,
Third, the German sympathizers
in the United States who have been
silent during the war have joined
the extreme Socialists and labor
agitators. not in saying the terms
OF the treaty were too harsh or
too cruel, but that the league itself
perpetUated the capitalists system
and therefore meant a death blow
to the aspirations of the proletar-
lat. This propaganda is the direct
sequel to the German effort made
during the war to convince labor
ing men in the United States that
our war with Germany was a cap
italists' war. for which utterance
many men were indicted under the
espionage act. The fact that the
Washington government has Meth
er pardoned nor released these so
!. called political prisoners" has
FGiyen the agitators in the north
west especially an opportunity to
continue their argument that the
league is the product and buIwark
OF the capitalistic regime. In Cal
ifornia, intimate friends Of Sena-
tor Hiram Johnson told CORE
spondents travelling with the pres
ldential party that they firmly be-
lieved his audiences in Chicago and
elsewhere where the president was
Missed, were made up in large part
OF disaffected elements.
Recognizes Agitation.
The president has recognized the
existence of this agitation, and so
far as the Irish societies are con-
cerned he has endeavored to show
that article 10 refers only to ex-
formal n
cred right Of revolution is nowhere
impaired
Indeed. he has said in effect that
the government of the United
States would be enabled to do I'M
der article 10 as a friendly act
what it would have been impossi-
bIeRfor her to do under interna- +
uonal law, only as an unfriendIy |
act. with all the dangers of grave |
complications with the British !
people He has declared America /
could bring the case of Ireland to
the bar OF public opinion in the
meetings Of the league There is |
evidence that some Irish sympa-
thizers on the Pacific coast were
won over to this doctrine but fear |
ed to cease agitating lest the Irish |
QUESTION itself be lost sight of in |
hS4ie maelstrom of public affairs.
Aid to Germany.
As for the Italian manifestations, !
they have not been as considera- !
bic as those of the Irish. but Ital- !
ians have Joined in demonstra- |
tions initiated by the other for
eign influences Alone, the Italian |
influence would have been INSULT I
cient to cause more than a ripple, /
as many Italians have not been as
sertive on the question. but that |
the |. ". VS. and the extreme So |
cialtsts are joined by large Ger !!
man elements in the United States (
has been noticeable. Mr.. Wilson
has condemned all this as pro
German propaganda" and he has
sought to convince his hearers that
somehow the German government
has been back of it in the sense
that Germany would be happy to
diSassociate America from the
league because the economic and
military weapons which are to
compel her to KEEP the treaty of +
peace she has signed would be
weaker by just so much and Ger
many'S opportunity to exercise a
potent influence in Europe might
not be destroyed, as it has given
Psomise of being by a permanent
Iy concerted use Of the strength of
the United States as well as the
associated powers. The president
received a demonstration reception
in California in which patriotic Il
fervor and tie spirit of the crusa-
der was apparent |,
Feeling F,hauprAS
The feeling for the League of
Nations especially in southern Cal
ifornia is changing from a fifty
feiy attitude toward preponder-
ance in favor of the league More
and more are the strictly Ameri-
can societies lining up solidIy be-
hind the league |,
UnquestiOnably the outcropping
Of some of the same influences
which opposed the war while it
was being fought has had almost
as much to do with the outburst of
enthusiasm for the president of theI
United States as the arguments he
Or his supporters elsewhere had =
made for the League of Nations be- &
Ecre Mr.. Wilson came to the Pa Z
cific coast. The presidents recep-
lion on the Pacific coast is some
thing well worth bordering on. |
The detection in the Johnson camp I
is not a theory. II is a fart And