Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-30
Allies Must Remain Friends
From the Washington Post,

From the Washington Post.
The peace delegates at Paris are going for
ward with wonderful optimism, on the assump-
ton that the denial of guarantees of security and
equality to certain great nations will not prevent
the making OF peace and the creation of league
of nations, which will take control of the entire
world upon the ratification ofthe peace treaty
One of the aims of the United States when il
entered the war was to make the world safe for
democracy" but when the American delegates
entered the peace conference there was an i'm
mediate charge that they were preventing the
democraces from making themselves SAFE
The last democracy to be denied the safety
it seeks is Italy. In this case there is no dis
guising the fact that it is President Wilson him
self who seeks to prevent Italy from making its
borders secure against another invasion by the
German and Austrian Huns. President Wilson
appeals to Italy to accept his decision which
he intimates is the decision of the people of
the United States. There is nothing of record
to indicate the position Of the people of this
country, however, except the general expression
OF the elections last November, which Mr.. Viii
son announced beforehand would constitute a
reputation OF his policies in the eyes of
Europe if the people should fail to elect demo-
cratic congress. They failed Therefore, when
Americans suggest that Premier. Orlando and
Baron Sonnino do not represent the real opinion
OF Italy, it is quite logical for the Italians to
tort that President Wilson does not represent
the real opinion of America.
There is now a breach between the United
States and Italy. 1t is pregnant with danger
not the minor danger of direct war, but the
greater danger OF permanent arrangement and
hatred. That would be most deplorable out
come of the Paris conference, more destructive
in its consequences than failure to make peace
with Germany. Germany is down and out, and if
the United States did not make any formal
peace for several years, this country would not
suffer. Italy, however, is one of the five trus-
tees of the worlds civilization and liberty, and
an estrangement between Italians and Ameri-
cans would make impossible league of nations
worthy of the name.
The friendship of France, England, Italy,
Japan and the United States is the prime factor
of the worlds peace and security. That friend
ship has just saved the world from slavery to
the Hohenzollern and Hapsburg systems of
absolutism. The first duty of these nations is
to preserve their mutual friendship. This duty
stands before peace with Germany. The great
est desire Of the Hun is to break up the friend
ship of the allies. During the fighting the dire
necessity of survival compelled the allies to
work together The beginning of the peace
conference marked the opening of the period of
greatest danger to the allies, which was duly
pointed out by the Post at the time. We ex-
pressed the ardent hope that the allies would
appreciate the danger that surrounded them
We suggested that the enemy would strain
every nerve to drive the allies apart, in the
critical period when they would be required to
adjust their claims and formulate their demands
upon the enemy.
Nothing can ever take the place of friend
ship and confidence among the FIVE nations that
have formed the league of liberty. If they fall
apart, the enemy thrives. They need not make
alliances with the enemy in order to upset the
world. The mere estrangement of the allies is
enough for the Huns and the bolshevik In
that estrangement these savage enemies, repre-
senting the extremes of autocracy and anarchy
would hnd ample opportunity for attacking and
there, and perhaps everywhere
No paper league of nations and no peace
with Germany will keep peace in this world if
the hive leading nations become enemies We
all know that peace with Germany is not genuine
peace, but truce until Germany can go on the
warpath again. We all know that league of
nations which fails to include Italy, Japan,
Germany and Russia is declaration of war
against those nations which will compel them
to become allies. Better that each free nation
should stand alone than to form league which
would provoke war.
Americas first attempt to interfere in Euro
pean affairs is sorry experience, indeed. Few
are the Americans who do not wish the presi-
dent had kept the country out Of the position
of dictator to all the allies and that he had not
sought to deny to each of the allies a portion
of its claims against the enemy. The inevitable
result of such action is the growth of unfriendly
feeling toward all the people of the United
States and the well-nigh universal belief, which
we believe to be utterly unfounded, that the
United States has deliberately shielded the
worlds enemy from the punishment which he
SO richly earned.
Let us hope that the patience and genuine
friendship Of all the allies toward Americans