The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-06
COMING BACK

The Italians are coming back to the peace conference
Orlando is finding out that he must quit playing politics. Italy
has played politics from the outset. She kept out of the war for
long, and no one knew on which side of the fence she was going
to fall. e
Finally she slipped over to London, and by a secret treaty
with France and England got the promise of the Dalmatian
coast and several islands. After that she cast her lot with
the allies, and OF a verify did great fighting, and held up her
end as we'll as the best of them.
Meantime France, England and Italy accepted President
Wilson's fourteen points, which was disngenuous if not stultfy-
ing, IN view of the London treaty signed in secret. Wilson was
open and aboveboard. He let the world know what he was
doing, and what his terms were. He was not playing politics,
and would not enter the game, This he made perfectly
plain, and his views were accepted; but Orlando kept his eyes
across the Adriatic and OH the coveted lands. He wanted Fiume,
the only port connected by broad gauge railroads with Austria
Hungary, J~ugo-Slavia and the vast hinterland with its teemng
millions, who would be bottled up and at the mercy Of Italy.
He won these in the game of politics, and it irritated him
to find that Wilson would not consent to the deal But Wilson
had higher ideals, He would not countenance indirection or
inveracities OF any kind. Then Orlando quit the high council
and returned home, He was peeved. The rich prize which he
thought his was withheld. He was enthusiastically indorsed
by his people, which must have been very gratifying to him.
After a while he discovered that the great council was
going along without Italy and had no idea of throwing up the
work.
This admonished hin to reflect and realize that whatever
his country hoped for could be better obtained by participating
in the conference than by running away from it. He viii
resume his seat at the table, and we may reasonably expect that
the great work will go forward to a successful issue, to a final
issue at least. There will be a decent and a Just peace patched
up in some way, and it is certain that Italy will not be allowed
70 protiteer on the war and obtain restitution and compensation
Tor everything she claims to have lost in the last five hundred
years,
All this because OF the firmness and invincble courage and
tenacity OF President Wilson. His has been an awful battle
For him has been an Argonne woods at Versailles ever since
Re reached there. He displayed the same intrepidity that the
American soldiers displayed on the battlefield, The world is
largely his debtor. He has made the future safe.
- Neither VIII Germany be extended any undue clemencv
NJ German must answer for his high crimes, even if it takes
generations to pay the debt. The darkest crime Of the ages will
not go unIpaunshed' The demands of justice will be met Ven
geanee will not be permitted to run riot, and we may expect
that civilization will once more find itself on a level keel Great
occasions demand great men, and fortunately for the world the
great men are usually forthcoming.
order and tranquility will come to the big nations. and e
inc smaller nations seek to continue strife and disorder thew
VIII IND themselves chastened and rendered tractable The
resources OF civilization are many, and when the leading nations
uh.e III a n etfort TO promote the universal welfare, the leading
nations dominate, and can do whatever they deem best for ali,
put there must be no gouging and grating and profieerine
Reason and right must rule if good conditions are to be made
permanent. ~