Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-26
ITALIAN MOVE
BELIEVED NOT TO
ENDANGER PEACE
Fiume Situation Created by
Wilson Considered Exag.
gerated by Some Officials
In Washington.
By JUSTIN MGRATH.

Universal Service staff Correspondent
Washington, April 25.-The situa-
ton created by President Wilson's
declaration Of opposition to 1talys
claims to Fiume may not be as fatal
as it appears on the surface.
An exaggerated importance may
be given to the withdrawal from
Paris of Italy's representatives.
While their withdrawal admittedly is
very serious development. the best
informed opinion here is that II will
not necessarily endanger = peace to
which all Of the allies, including
Italy, will agree.
Italy has been worked up to fever
heat over the acquisition OF Fiume
and Orlando and Sonnino have now
passed the responsibility for the fu-
ture course Of Italy from themselves
to the Italian people.
Think Allies Agreed.
The belief here is that President
Wilson did not issue his statement
until he had very definite under
standing with Lloyd George and
Clemcnceau as to the position Great
Britain and France were prepared
to take with respect to Fiume.
The president in his statement
called attention to the fact that
"Fiume is not included in the pact
Of London, but there definitely as
signed to the Croatians."
And in connection with this state
ment of the president it is important
to read the cable announcement that
Lloyd George and Clemenceau no.
tilted Orlando that, If Italy insisted.
Great Britain and France would
recognize the London pact a. bind
ing obligation.
Will Not Get Fiume.
If Italy is only to get what it wa,
to get under the London treaty it
will not get Fiure. The announce
ment by Lloyd George and Clemen-
ceap to Orlando, therefore, was
merely diplomatic way of inform
ing him that Great Britain and
France would support the position
of the United States with respect to
Fiume as against that of Italy.
The view taken here is that the
uncompromising stand assumed by
Italy, if persisted in. is bound to
prove more serious for Italy than
menacing to the character of peace
which the United States, Great
Britain and France are of mind to
make.
What will be Italy's position in
the event that it refuses to become
party to the peace of Paris and
undertakes to hold Fiumc and all
of the Dalmatian coast against the
decision of the Paris conference?
Doubt Separate Treaty.
OF course, it could never negotiate
an individual treaty with the central
powers which would give it Fiume
and the Dalmatian coast. To re-
main in possession it would have to
depend upon force.
Naturally, it could count upon no
assistance from the allies. 1t would
be confronted with the armed and
determined opposition of the Jugo-
Slavs and the Czecho-Slavs. with
whom Hungary, Bohemia and Ser
bia would be in sympathy, If not in
actual alliance.
And, not improbable, in such an
eventually, Germany would render
valuable aid to the forces arrayed
against Italy to revenge itself for
Italy's reputation of its obligation
to the central powers. with whom it
was allied at the beginning of the
great war
Now Orlando and Sonnino under
stand all these dire possibilities in
volved in Italy's breaking with her
allies and pursuing an independent
course.