South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-13
Other Editors Than Ours
FRANK SIMONDS' EXPLANATION OF
FIUME CONTROVERSY.
(Fort Wayne Journal Gazette


Frank II. simonds has been sufficiently critical Of
Prest Wilson's activities to make any commenda-
tory article from his pen peculiarly significant, and
he has just written a complete Justification OF the
presidents action in the case Of Fiume, describing
it as the necessary American attitude. AS we sug-
gested some time ago the Italian desire for Fiume
is in accord with the age-long aspirations of the
Italian people TO revive the glories Of Rome and the
conquests of Venice on the eastern shores OF the
Adriatic." The city of Ffume is n small city OF about
5000. While the majority Of cts people are Italian,
Simonds describes IL as "only a tiny point in the
surrounding sea Of Slavic populations" And he gives
us an American Illustration ITO give Portsmouth,
y. H.. to Portland. Me, to a foreign country be-
cause the population within the immediate city be
longed to a foreign nationality. while all the inter-
land. as it is in America is American. would supply
a fair illustration" As to Damatia, with a popula-
ton Of about 100000. only about $4,000 is Italian.
Thus. according to Simonds. ION the basis Of self
determination Italy has no claim whatever to Dali
malta, and on the basis OF the right OF nations TO
access to the sea, the second of Mr.. Wilson's prin-
ciples. the Jugo-Slavs have the claim 10 Fiume.'
notwithstanding this the president has only asked
that F1ume be made a free port.
And then Mr.. Simonds answers the party papers
headlines regarding the presidents alleged pre-
cipitancy by saying
TT is not true. as the Italians aHege. that Pres't
Wilson brusquely appealed over the heads Of the
Italian delegation to the Italian people. The fact Is
that after many weeks of discussion it had become
perfectly apparent that no accommodation of diff
ference OF opinion was possible. short of the absolute
sacrifice Of Slav rights to Italian claims"
More interesting to Americans is simonds' ex-
PLANTATION of the peculiar Italian situation affecting
the position Of Orlando. At the beginning of the war
the head Of the government was Giolitti, who was a
strong friend OF the central powers. with Orlando
leading he was OverthrOwn through a popular sem
timent created by Sonnino's success in obtaining for
Italy English and French promises in the Adriatic.
Gioitti. a clever politician thereupon began to at
tack Orlando for having secured no assurances as to
Fiume. Thus we have the domestic politics Of the
hare-up.
The conclusion Of Mr.. Simonds' article is well
worth reading and re-reading:
The greatest difficulty one has in reporting the
European situation TO Americans lies in the fac.
that the League OF Nations has become a political
question in America. that the presidents success
or failure in Europe. which IS contingent upon the
success or failure Of the League OF Nations will
be made the basis for political campaigning here
after at home. Therefore. each respective comment
is examined for it's political intent and content. Yet
IL is no less necessary for a correspondent on the
spot 10 present the situation as IL exists and as he
sees H. In this particular Italian controversy I think
right minded men all over Europe agree with the
position taken and the principles expressed by the
president They feel that in championing the south
ern Slavs. the president has nobly expressed the
American idea and the American ideal: and that,
whatever the consequences OF his gesture. he could
have done no other thing without compromising his
essential principles"
Thus the confession that selfish politicians in
America have so succeeded in twisting the signih-
canoe OF the league into a party question that even
tho correspondents on the ground are embarrassed
in reporting progress.