Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-28
BRITAIN'S HELP
is VITAL TO US
United States Needs help to Curb
War Ambitions at the Peace
Conference.
MANY vExING PROBLEMS LEFT
Indemniiies, Boundary Lines and
Details of Colonial Control
Promise Warm Debates.
BY VICTOR McNAUGHT.


and important development of the
peace conference up to this time,
outside the framing of the league of
nations program, has been the
growth OF harmony and under
standing between British and Am
erican representatives. The league
constitution is in reality the work
OF Lord Robert Cecil and General
SHUTS. with a few minor clauses
and suggestions from other sources.
President Wilson preferred indoors
ing a good program drawn by some
one else. to submitting one Of mis-
own, and in this he no doubt showed
tact.
This disposition of English and
American delegates to look at
things in the same calm aEi dis
passionate way is particularly in
teresting and significant when we
look ahead to the probable develop
ments OF the second phase of the
conference, which opens on the re-
turn Of President Wilson 10 Paris
after his brief stay in Washington.
The second phase will be crowded
with practical problems. difficult,
and filled with possibilities of fric-
ton. Let US examine briefly a few
Of them:
Rival ambitions.
l. Japan and Australia are
watching each other nervously,
each anxious for control of islands
in the Pacific, and neither quite
satisfied with the program for
mandatories.
3 Italy and Jugo-Slayia both
i desire the territory Oh the east
: coast Of the Adriatic. The Italians
claim exclusive domination of the
Adriatic, the annexation of the
3 ports Of Fiume, cara and Valona,
the possession Of the whole of Dali
malta and a prCtectoTate over Al
bania. They base their claims on
secret treaties made with the allied
governments. The JugO-Slays as
sert that 100000 of their people
would be included within such ter
ritorial limits, hence their resist
ance.
3. Japan makes claim on China
which the Chinese are bound to OPP
pose. The japanese desire to take
over all the concession in China
that the Germans once possessed,
anu some besides.
f. Poland is badly divided inter
naIy over the claims Of two rival
factions, each claiming the right
to speak Tor and control the ter
ritory.
S. Then comes the problem of
fixing the new boundary line be
tween Germany and France. Of
course France VIII regain Alsace
and Lorraine; shall she also have
the Saar Basin, rich in minerals,
and shall she be given some sort of
control Of German territory west
of the Rhine?
g. What indemnities shall Ger
many be forced to pay? Each of
the allied countries will ask to be
reimbursed for its total war expen-
ditures, IN addition to the repara-
ton that Will be required for dam
ages and for the IoOting Of indus
trial plants and banks in Belgium
and northern France.
Fixing Armaneuts.
These are only a few of the most
knotty problems that await the
presidents return. The fixing of
ornaments for the various nations,
including Germany, has tickIish as
poets.
So far the conference sessions
have been comparatively mild af-
fairs, but there will be real doings
when the time comes to go into
rival claims, presented by claim
ants with high temperatures and
feverish pulses President Wilson
has his league of nations" they
viii say; now let him stand aside
while we get what we came for. '
Premier Hughes of Australia feels
that way. So do the Italian dele
gates. So do some others.
The French leaders are, of course, |
hoping that President Wilson will
not inteTpose any objections to
their program for putting Germany !
in her proper place. They are
bound to put Germany there! alb /
soluteIy determined about it, and |
they hope that America may not |
have any foolish notions about |
mercy.
We do not know what President !
Wilson thinks about all these is
sues, except for the knowledge |
thai he wants . square deal for !
each of the small nations in the al !
lied group, and favors a general set !
Element that viii insure peace in
stead o. sow provocatiOns for a |
whole flock of new wars.
EngIand's Attitude Important.
1t must be apparent that Eng /
lands attitude through the second I
phase of the peace conference is /
most important to US. If Lloyd /
George and his associates continue |
in close accord with President Will !
son. the settlement will bear the |
Empress of American ideals. 9th
erwise, America may have little to
say about the new order of things
in Europe.
In previous articles 1 have told
of the high esteem in which our
country and our president are held
IN Europe. This is all true, speak
ing in a broad, general way of the
feeling of the masses of the people. i
at the same time, it should be re-
membered that men in authority Il
/