New-York tribune., 1920-02-27

Of the opinion that the proposal o
December 8 has been profoundly al
cred to, the advantage of Improve
TIA ian ohjeetivess to the serious injur,
oi the Jugo-Sav people and to tn
peril of word peace. The view tha
sery positive advantages have bee
eonceded to Italy would appear to ",
borne out by the fact that the Italian
government rejected the proposal o,
December and accepted chat of Jan
uary Id.
Difficulties of Plan Barred
THE memorandum of December 6
rejected the device of connecting Fume
With Italy by narrow strip Of coas,
territory as quite unworkable in prac.
tice, and as involving. extraordinary
complexities as regards customs con.
rol, coast guard services and cognate
matters in a territory of such unusual
4 oniigUration. The French and British
governments, in association with the
american government, expressed tn g
| opinion that the plan appears to run
c. untcr to every consideration of geog
Apply economics and territorial con
veniencc.' The American govelnment
notes that this annexation OF Jugo-
Slav territory by Italy is neverthe eless
agreed TO by the memorandum Of Jan
uary IA.
"rhc memorandum of December 8
rejected taly's demand for the an
aexation of all of Istria, on the solid
ground that neither strategic nor
economic considerations could justify
such annexation. and that there re-
manned nothing in defense of the
proposition save Italy's desire for more
territory admittedly inhabited by Jugo
Slavs. The French and British govern
ments then expressed their cordial ap
Nroval of the way in which the Presi
dent had met every successive Italian
demand for the absorption in Italy
# territories inhabited by peoples no.
Italian and not in favor of being alb
scrbed, and Joined in the opinion that
1T is neither just nor expcdient to
annex as the spoils of war territories
inhabited by an alien race yet this
unjust and ineXpedient annexation Of
all of lstria is provided for in the
memorandum of January IA.
The memorandum of December 8
carefully excluded every form of Ital-
ian severe eighty over Fiumc The Ameri-
can government cannot avoid the con-
clusion that the memorandum Of Janu-
ary II opens the way for italian control
ducing a measure Of Italian sovereignty
over and Italian intervention in the
only practicab' port of neighboring
people; and, taken in conjunction with
the extension Of Italian territory to
the gates of Fiumc paves the way for
possible future annexation of the port
by Italy, in contradiction of compell-
ing onsideratjons of equity and right.
"The memorandum Of December af-
torded proper protection to the vital
railway connecting Fiume northward
with the interior. The memorandum
of January IA establishes Italy in
tho railway at a number of critical
points.
The memorandum of December 9
maintained in large measure the unity
OF the Albanian state. That Of Janu-
ary ia partitions the Albanian people,
against their vehement protests, among
thrHo different alien powers.
"These and other provisions of the
memorandum of January IA, negotiated
without the knowledge or approval Of
'he Amerlcan government change the
whole face of the Adriatic settlement,
and, IN the eyes of this government,
render it unworkable and rob it of
that measure of justice which is es-
sentlal If this government is TO CO.
operate IN maintaining its terms The
TACT that the Jugo Slav representatives
might feel forced to accept. in the
face OF the alternative Of the treaty
OIL London, solution which appears
TO THIS government so unfair in princi-
PIE and so unworkable in practice.
would not IN any degree alter the con-
Vlc'lon OF this government that 1t can
not give its assent to settlement
Wh!ch both IN the terms of it's pro-
VISIONS and in the methods Of it's en-
forcement constitute a positive denial
or the principles for which America
entered the war.
taiy's Demands Denounced
ne matter would wear very diff
,erent aspect if there were any roal
divergence of opinion as to what con-
stitntes just settlement Of the Adri-
at'~ issue. Happily no such divergence
GAistS; g Inc opinions of the French.
orl'ish ana Americans as to lust
and equitable territorial arrangement
al the head of the Adriatic sea ',rene mene
S1rlKlng!y harmonious. Italy's unjust
demands have been condemned bv the
french and British governments in
terms no less severe than those en-
ployed bv the American government
Certainly the French and British gov
ernments will yield nothing to their
american associate as regards tha
eafhestness with which they have
sought to convince the Italian govern
ment that fultillment of its demands
would DC contrary to 1taly's own best
interests, opposed to the spirit Of ius
t'ce in international dealings and
ffraught with danger to the peace of
Europe.
I'm particular. the French and Brit
lsh governments have opposed Italy's
demands for specific advantages which
II is now proposed to yield to her by
tne memorandum of January IA, and
lave Joined in informing the Italian
government that the concessions nro.
vleusly made afford to Italy full sat
istaction of her historic national asni-
rations based on the desire to unite
the Italian race. give her the absolute
strategic control of the Adriatic and
offer her complete guarantees against
"hatever aggrcssions she might fear