Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-04-26
"openly Arrived At"

the secrecy Of its actions at each step,
there was general chagrin among
people who had hoped for 'open COW
enants. openly arrived at" But it
was also fairly certain that such sec
recy could not be maintained owing
to the probability of a deadlock which
would require an appeal to public
opinion.
And thus it has turned out.
The dispute over whether Italy
should have Fi.lme reached 4 point
where the Preiniers and President
had said all they had to say. If they
we're to say anything more it would
have to be on basis Of fresh instruc-
tions from those whom they went to
Paris TO represent. The Italians
withdrew and the Council Of Four be-
came Council Of Three.
Whereupon the secrecy was shat
tered. President Wilson proceeded to
state the American position in what
is frankly an appeal to the Italian
people and about equally an explana-
tion to the American people and an
appeal to public opinion in the Allied
countries generally. Then NJ. Orlando
publicly states the Italian case.
1t is an Illuminating episode. Pre-
vious peace conferences have con-
fairly dark. This time vaster forces
are afoot. Too much is at stake to
risk a breach of amity among the
Allies. and if the representatives Of
the people cannot compose their diff
ferences they seem obliged by the
sheer pressure Of the world situation
to appeal their differences to the peo-
Piles whom they represent.
Open diplomacy has. it is true. had
its setbacks at Paris: but secret di-
plomacy has not had any too easy
sleddins.-Boston Globe. Apr. 25.
And so it comes to the peoples for
expression of honest convictions Of
right and justice. without national or
political bias. No one can read
President Wilson's appeal to the peo-
pie of Italy fembodying explanation
to the people Of America) without
feeling his earnest conviction that he
is acting for the best interests of all
in the future of mankind. We wish
to accept the Presidents Offering for
its face value, and we do, so far as
the scrapping Of secret agreements
is concerned.
To our view the greatest moral ac-
complishment Of the conference thus
far is the combination of circumstal. :
ces that has forced the SECRET de.
liberations of the big ten" to a big
four" and. finally. from a big three"
out into the open for world consid-
GRAFTON and expression. Who are
these big three" that they may as
sumo arbitrarily to settle the fate IT
all nations to suit their own grasp
OF the future without the aid Of clari-
flying suggestion and criticism from
the bigger minds Of their own peoples,
to say nothing of others: AS yet they
have not made clear to the world the
fine white line by which they are
discriminating between flesh, fowl
and good red herring.
Let US proceed from the ground of
full acceptance of our Presidents Do
sition (Which should be Loyalty sup
ported by all of us if he is right that.
regardless of purpose or ultimate re-
suit, secret" agreement between
nations fbefore or after the promuI-
cation Of the fourteen points, is a
scrap Of paper" that cannot be toll
Grated from the high status of pres
ent negotiations.
F1atly and frankly at the start. we
register our conviction that this po-
sition is morally sweet that the at
litude of President Wilson is en-
trenched on the right side tf :he case !;
that the peace conference should
have proceeded from a clean warp
and filling to weave the new web Of
world governmental fabric.
Going that far on Thursday norm
ing after reading the Presidents
statement. We found memory review
ing other crises of the peace and
league Of nations negotiations. We
remembered when France was at the
point Of retiring from the CONFER
ence; when Lloyd George was called
home to explain; when President
Wilson cabled for the George WASH
ington. All these crises were passed
through the agency Of concessions
concessions that made the claims Of
the various representatives for de-
fensive provisions for trance along
the Rhine. the Saar valley, right Of
military conscription: for a special
underwriting Of the Monroe doctrine
Of the United States: for Britain's SUI
premacy Of the seas.
Defense Of its own interests 10 the
first move Of each power, defensive
guarantee. political and economic.
In these notable instances they have
been attained by those demanding
them. Where is the line to be