The sun., 1919-04-30
WILSON STICKS TO
STAND ON ITALY
New Statement Repeats That
Fiume Must Not Be
Hers. 49, ...
AN INTERNATIONAL PORT
Would Give Disputed Harbor
Wide Measure Of
Autonomy. a..

FAhs, april IA statement was is
sued tonight dealing with the memo
randum sent by President Wilson to the
Italian delegation on April II with per-
mission TO make II public In Italy and
which was given out to-day in Rome.
A complete copy of the Presidents
| statement. under the heading memo
randum concerning the question of 1tal-
Ian claims on the Adriatic." follows:
There II no question to which I have
given moro oarsful or anxious thought
than l have given to this. because In
common with all my colleagues II IL my
earnest desire to see the utmost done TO
| Italy.
Throughout my consideration OF II,
| however. have felt that there was one
| matter in which l had no choice and
could wish TO have none. / felt bound
! to square every conclusion that I should
| reach as accurately rs possiblo with the
fourteen principles OF peace, which I set
forth In my address to the Congress Of
| the United States on the eighth of jan
uary. 1918. and In subsequent addresses.
These fourteen points and the prin-
ciples laid down In the subsequent ad-
| dresses were formally adopted with only
q single reservation by the Powers as
ISOLATED against Germany and will con-
| stitute the basis of peace with Germany
l do not feel at liberty to suggest one
basis for peace with Germany and an
other for peace with Austria
Personally I am quite willing that
italy should be accorded along tho whole
front Of her northern frontier. and wher-
ever she comes into contact with Aus
trian territory all that was accorded her
| In the so-called Pact of London, but
am of the clear opinion that the Pact
| 70
| settlement. of her eastern boundaries
The line drawn in the pact Of London
was conceived for the purpose Of estab-
fishing an absolutely adequate frontier
| OF safety for Italy against any possible
hostility or aggression on the part OF
| Austria But Austria Hungary no longer
exists. These eastern frontiers will touch
countries stripped OF the military and
| naval power Of Austria, settled In inter-
| dependence OF Austria and organized for
the purpose of satisfying legitimate ma
| tional aspirations, and created states not
| hostile to the new European. order. but
arising out of 1t. interested In It's main
| tenance, dependent upon the cultivation
| of friendships and bound to a common
policy of peace and accomm odation by
the covenant Of the League Of Nations.
1T is with these facts in mind that I
have approached tho Adriatic question.
1t 10 commonly agreed. and very heart
lily adhere to the agreement. that the
| ports Of Triest and Pola. and with tnuin
the greater part Of the Istrian penin-
sula. should be coded to Italy. her east
ern frontier running along the natural
conformation OF the country line
which II has been attempted to draw
| with some degree Of accuracy on the at
| tackled map.
! within this line on the Italian side
| will lie considerable bodies of non Ital-
| ian populations, but their fortunes are
so naturally linked by the nature OF the
country itself with the rest OF the italian
people that I think their inclusion Is
fully justified
l. There would be no Justification In
my judgment In including Fiume. or any
part OF the coast line TO the south OF
| Fiume, within the boundaries of the
Italian Kingdom. Fiume is by situation
and by all the circumsta noes OF its de.
| velopment not an Italian, but an inter.
national port, serving the countries &c
| tho east and north OF the Gulf OF Fiume,
Just because II is an international
port and cannot with Justice be subordi-
| mated to any one sovereignty, II Is my
clear judgment that II should enjoy a
very considerable degree of genuine au-
tonomy. and while II should be included
no doubt, within the customs system OF
tho new Jugo-Slavic stale, 1t should
nevertheless, be left free In its own In
terest. and in the interest OF the states
lying about II, to devote itself to the
service of the commerce which naturally
and inevitably seeks an outlet or inlet al
its port.
The States which II serves will b.
new States. They will have complete
confidence In their access to an cutie
on the sea The friendship and the con
rections OF the future Will largely de
} pend upon such AN arrangement as
have sugy ested. and friendship, coop
, Grafton and freedom OF action must un
derby every arrangement of peace /
peace Ia to be lasting
II 81 believe there will be common agree
ment that the island of LISA should b.
ceded to Italy. and that she should re
> tain the port OF Volpna. / believe tina
1t will be generally agreed that the for
tincations which the Austrian Govern
ment established upon the islands nea
the eastern coast OF the Adriatic SHOULD
| be permanently dispensed with under In
> ternational guarantee, and that the dis
| armament which is to be arranged un
!, der the League OF Nations should lmi
= the States on the eastern coast OF tn
as are necessary for policing the water
! OF the islands and the coast These ar
8 conclusions which l am forced to b
D compulsion OF the understanding whic
e underlie the whole initiation OF the pres
ent peace.
h mo other conclusions seem 10 be &C
!, ceptable to being rendered concise wit
d these understandings. They were III
o derstandings accepted by the Who'll
9 world, and bear with peculiar compu
o sion upon the United States because tn
= privilege was accorded her OF taking III
= Initiative OF bringing about the negotia
lions for peace, and her plans underli
i the whole difficult business.
= "And certainly Italy obtains und'
l. such a settlement the great historic Of
jsct which her people have 80 long hs
In mind. The historical wrongs infilcts
upon her by Austria Hungary and by