The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-03
Results Grave.


Nor will the consequences end here.
for If Italy now succeeds not primarily
IN obtaining the sanction of the world
to the possession OF what she covets,
but II she succeeds in retaining possess
sion, since she now holds Fiume and the
Dalmatian coast. reaction in France
and elsewhere on the continent will be
immediate and profound. For example,
nothing is more likely that the French
legislature, perceiving that italy has
had her way in matters of less vital
Importance to her than certain disputed
questions were to France, will reject
the present treaty of peace as inimical
to French interests. Again, ii Italy is
permitted as a consequence of the
present fight to hold permanently Dali
malta and Fiume without tpternational
restrictions, or the league of nations
conditions, the whole French nation is
likely to feel hat its possession of the
SaaT coal region should not be SUBJ
jeet to a. the limitations of war-breed-
Ing conditions which have been i'm
posed. Even more emphatic will be the
outburst In Poland, and the Polish peo-
pie will demand for themselves that
possession of Danzig, which Is a mat
ter of life and death to them on terms
under which Italy has obtained and
holds possession of Fiume and of Dali
malta which are after all relatively
minor circumstances in Italian geogra-
ply, military or economic.
We have had In the past five months
shock after shock between Mr.. Wilson'S
conceptions of peace under the league
Of nations and the European conception
of peace, based upon historical tradi-
lions and geographical conditions. The
result so far has been a series of COM
promises, each n Of which has created
"A situation which could only survive
permanently, provided hat all the
world accepted with equal good faith
the doctrines of the league of nations
covenant for the future. OF these COM
promises, the first was the mandatory
system with respect of the German
colonies, These German colonies were
certain to fall to Great Britain as the
sole reward for her efforts and the sin
gle security for her against new Ger
man attack and intrigues in her colo
MES, and the German submarine
menace along her ocean highways, To
Mr., Wilson's rooted objection to an
~nexation there were opposed British in
%terests OF vital character. The com :
promise system, which gave Great
Britain actual possession OF most of the
German colonies, all OF which she
claimed, subject to the title resting in
thel league OF nations, under the duty
of an annual report.
In the case oil France, her claim [.
compensation for the destruction of the
coal region of the north was made by
the bestowal upon France OF the title
to the coal lands OF the Saar and the
occupation of territory under the mos
intricate n complicated restrictions
which, in fact, made the French pos,
session turn upon the vitality OF til,
league of nations. Similar compro,
misses have been made all over Europe
and each one Of them is entirely con.
IalnnsseSnt " upon mat,d the row 9wer rrt behind do th'
accept the mandatory compromise
which, In fact, they invented, becaus,
they had the German navy In theiI
possession, and German sea power fol
long years has become a thing Of The
past, The French could not accept tn,
Saar coal compromise and other re
strictions to their security on the nortl
without some guarantee which should
hold II the league of nations failed. IL
fact, French acceptance of the leagu,
Of nations and all other compromise
was made contingent upon the guaran
tee by Great Britain and the Unite,
States that in case of German attacl
they would come to French aid
We have now In the case of Itai.
the third stage, sItaly has been unabl
to find a method like the mandator,
system which enabled Great Britain L
accommodate her purposes to presiden
Wilson's principles, Guarantee agains
attack such as France has asked wa
ot no interest to her since she feare
no attack, AS a consequence, she ha
come squarely out In the open and chal
lenged the president. relying upon he
agreements with her allies as to Dal
malta and upon one Of MIR. Wilson
Ia points for the acquisition of Ftumt
The greatest difficulty one has in re
porting the European situation I
Americans lies in the fact that tn
league of nations has become a polit
cal question In America, that the pres
dents success or failure in Europe
which is contingent upon the success
or failure Of the league OF nations, wi
be made the basis for political cam
paigning hereafter at home. Therefor
each respective is examine
for its political intent and content. Ye
II Is no less necessary fer n CORE
spondent on the spot to present tn
situation as II exists and as he sees /
In his particular Italian Co%ntrovers,
| think right minded men all over Ell
rope agree with the position taken an
the principles expressed by the pres
dent They feel hat in championiR
the southern Slavs, the president la
| nohly expressed the American idea an
the American ideal, and that whatevy
the consequences OF his gesture, h
could have done no other thing with
out compromising his essential priu
ciples,
But on the other hand, it is no les
essential to make clear the fact tina
In the past -four months the idea of tn
league OF nations has daily and hourl
' lost ground In Europe, that here Is a
] ever-growing feeling that 1t reppesent