Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-05
U. S. SHOULD NOT
PASS ARTICLE 10
SAYS cUMMINS
Iowa Senator Condemns Pro.
vision to Defend All 49,
gressions Against Any
Country Concerned.
BY a STAFF Correspondent.

Des MONIES, Ia. May @.-Sen. A.
B Cummins. senior senator from
Iowa, who has made a thorough
study OF the league of nations cove
nant, is opposed to that part of the
pact which would commit the United
States to the policy, together with
other member nations. OF guarantee
ing the territorial integrity and po-
litical independence of member
states. In an interview given out
here he states his position, declar-
ing that article 10 of the covenant
should not be subscribed to by this
country as It is the one which would
bind the United States to defend
all aggressions against any of the
countries concerned in the agree
ment. Since Senator Cummins is a
member Of the majority party which
must pass on the treaty, his views
on the subject are considered signifi-
cant.
His statement follows:
In the first place, there can be
10 question but that the new Jugo-
Slav state and the other inland
populations of south central Eu-
rope should have convenient and
free commercial access to open
water--to the Mediterranean
Il do not profess to have such
intimate familiarity with conditions
on the Adriatic that l can say With
positiveness where that access
should be provided. If Fiume is
the only possible point of access,
the only possible focus OF railway
lines and other essential means of
communication. then Fiume should
be made available.
Opposes Italy.
If | were participating in the
conferences upon that question.
should propose, first of all, that
everybody agree on the principle
that Jugo-Slavia must not be shu,
out from the sea. l should pro-
post the principle to Italy. Once
unanimous assent had been oh
tanned to that proposition, includ-
ing. of course, Italy's assent, |
should then say, Let US sit down
and decide where. with the maxi
n.um fairness to all concerned, the
economic outlet of the Slav popu.
lations of the interior should be.
Having made clear that in his
opinion the economic need OF Jugo-
Slavia for a port in the northern
Adriatic should be satisfied by the
peace conference, the senator pro-
>ceeded to make very important
qualification as TO Americas flu
ture part in guaranteeing the set
Element
A European Question.
Fundamentally" Senator Cum
Minis said, "the question of the
Adriatic. like all the QUESTIONS aris-
ing out of the creation of new
European states, is European
question.
II am not in favor Of American
.cfusal to help i'll settling as rightly
as possible all the issues. including
territorial issues, growing out of the
war. l would not have America
iail to work for a just decision of
the Adriatic question. But I would
nave it distinctly understood that
once a settlement is made its per-
manence would be for European
peoples and governments to attend
to. not for us to enforce.
''ln other words, America, as one
Of the great belligerents in a world
war, should, without sacrificing her
own future. give the flu. assistance
of her counsel in the attempt to
start Europe right. with fair from
tiers, fair economic agreements. fair
everything. After that the problem,
as an essentially European one.
should he left to Europe, to the
Lloyd Georges and Ciemenceaus.
And their responsibility. even now,
is superior to ours on such ques-
tsooev