El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-20
D. PRANK H. snIONDs.

It was prepared to accept without
question any procedure which was
accented by all nations, IN other
words. If France. Great Britain, Italy
and the United States agreed that the
league Of nations should have the
right to interfere in their domestic
affairs. on behalf Of minoritles, Ru-
mania was willing to agree 70 the
same principles. But what was asked
Of Rumauia was that she should con-
cede not 10 the league Of nations Dut
to the four great powers, right 70
interfere in her affairs, while no sucn
right was admitted by the powers
themselves
such an admission on the part
OF Rumanin would eomcede an
essential difference between great
powers and small powers, thus
denying one of the Erent priu-
cfples Supposed to be established
ut Paris
As II. Bratlano pointed out 70 Ny
wilson. italy has acquired territories
in which q large minority OF the
population was not ALallans DuI ~
suggestion was advanced that ilals
should agree that the league OF ma
tons. much less the other great pow
ers. should have the right TO inter
vene on behalf OF the German SPEAK
ing TyroIese- for example:
Very eloquently and aptly II Sra
tfano pointed out that the fact that
tne minorities in turkey mad Deen
permitted to look 20 the outside ma
lions for support had contributed 70
the ruin Of Turkey and he might
have added that the minorities- them
selves. had never protlted by rms
situation. What he asked for MS
country was the same situation as
vas established for the great powers
N the same session the represen-
tatives OF Jugo-SlaTia pushed home
an equally strong argument serbia
] because Of her less comfortable sltua-
zion. was prepared TO accept the right
Of the great powers 70 lnleIse sst-i ~
behalf Of the minorities IN territories
awarded 10 the new Jugo-Slav state
by the pending treaty. but she re-
fected such rights as applied 10 terri
tories which we're her own before the
war In a word. 20 use a parallel. by
precisely the same principle Wnlcn
was 10 be applied to Iugo-slayia- IN
British empire would be Obliged TO
admit the right Of the United states,
France and italy, not merely 10 in
terfere on behalf OF the mlnofilies
which iu fact are the ma1oritess IN
the German colonies acquired as a
consequences Of the war, but also IN
the case OF che irish, the Egyptians,
the Inhabitants Of India etc
wilson Rejects Arguments
These arguments OF the two
smaller states, Rumania and Serbia
were met BY an impassioned address
I OF president Wilson at the Nay 81
session In this address the presi-
dent demanded for the great powers
the right TO regulate the conditions
Of the smaller nations, like humanla-
a. a necessary condition TO the de-
I fence Of these states by the 6reaL
Z powers. he told the Rumanlans ana
I the Serbs that the great powers had
{ borne the burden OF the war, that
I thew would have TO bear the burden
I OF maintaining peace, and that the
/ United States, for example, could not
/ be expected 70 consent TO send troops
10 Europe 10 defend Serbia and Ru-
mania n the conditions IN these
3 countries were such as TO displease
! Americans and affront American
| ideals.
we're unhappy. The view advocated
. b.. president Wilson prevailed, Jugo-
! glarfa and Rumauia were ordered 70
{ accent the treaty with Austria, into
Z which this provision about minorI-
I ties IN their own population vas m
! serted. and both at once refused ana
Z have continued 10 refuse 20 sign the
3 treaty. The Rumanlan delegation
I withdrew from the peace conference
I and has since that time acled On US
3 own judgment frequently IN deIlance
{ Of the Paris conference
I In the United States the Rumanian
course has been frequently repre-
sented as resting upon dispute over
II territory the fact is otherwise
At rs inception Il was re
fusnI on the part Of Rumania to
cnucede that four great powers
should have the rlEhf 70 interfere
in her domestic affuirs. while
these same powers permitted no
such Interference even By the
Ienrue Of nations. II was the
protest Of n small power against
the framing Of special legislation
based on a distinction between
large and small nations and mnk-
ing Applicable to small nations
principles which were not applied
to laree.
This break between Rumania and
the western nations was accentuated
by the course Of the Paris confer