New-York tribune., 1919-04-28
Winding Our Own Business

Winding Our Own Business
The Fiume episode illustrates the diff
culties this country is likely to encounter
il it adopts the policy of intruding into
the highly complicated affairs of Europe.
Six months ago the majority Of Ameri-
cans never had heard of Fiume and of
those who had heard of it few felt COM
petent to decide what flag should float
over it. Suddenly, with little back
ground Of information or better knowl-
edge than is furnished by rival pam
phleteers, it is asked of us to say where
Fiume should CO. Our President, in the
role Of universal arbiter, gives an off
hand decision which has given grave Of
fence to a friendly nation which thinks
he is wrong. And the confused Ameri-
can citizen is told that high principles
are involved, and that it is his moral
duty to support a conclusion presented
to him.
Not only is the average American little
informed as to Fiume and the rights
and wrongs of the Fiume question, but
no American interest is affected. Wheth-
er the disputed city goes to Italy or
whether to Jugo-Slavia touches no Amer
lean concern. No matter what flag is up,
it will be practically the same to us. Our
goods will find as warm welcome, if
prices and quality are right, whether the
customs officials wear one uniform or the
other
Uncle Sam likes to consider himself as
crusader, and his sympathies go out to
the oppressed, but he generally has com
mon sense enough not to burn his fingers
when he does not know who are the op-
pressed and who are the oppressors.
In certain quarters it Is proposed that
this country shall become the "manda-
tary" of Constantinople, of Armenia, of
Syria, and the special guardian of terri
tories whose inhabitants will perhaps be
as ready to find fault with our admins
tration as they have been with the ad-
ministrations of others.
1t is sound, pacific and idealistic in
stinct, we believe, which leads Ameri-
cans to say, Lets keep on mindng our
own business" No end to the embroil-
ment is to be seen if we mix in distant
and alien problems. To say this is not
to advocate complete aloofness. AS to
large matters we should doubtless be
heard But the function of handling
minute affairs we may properly avoid
Italy now discriminates between the
= United States and President Wilson;
does not impute to the one what she
deems the fault Of the other. But if the
official weight Of America continues to
be thrown against Italy, the fact that the
American people have not been consulted
will not be long kept in mind. Mutual
distrust will be fomented, and when
mutual distrust between two peoples is
firmly established there is foundation
for graver trouble. How can any sim
cere lover of peace fail to see that
dragons teeth are sown when we intrude
in all sorts Of European settlements? The
best service to the world we can give is
to suppress the busybody spirit. A few
editors may regard themselves as suffi-
GENTLY versed in world politics to be fit
10 decide everything, but let us rejoice
that the great masses of our people are
not in the grip Of similar conceited
vanity. We ask Europe not to take inti-
mate part In American affairs, and the
correlative Is that we should similarly
keep at home.
At present the good motives Of Amer
lea are not questioned, but if we ACQUIRE
the habit Of intruding the good repute
will not endure. Suspicion will find
material on which to feed, and even we'll
intentioned acts will be deemed born Of
selfishness or some other unworthy pur-
pose. This is way of the world that
will not be changed overnight, and be-
cause OF 1t this country may we'll follow
its traditional policy, policy which, on
The whole, has borne good fruit.