Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-15
Enitnrial DigrBt
An Independent Analysis Of Leading Cur
rent Events as Reflected In the Pub
Lie Press Of the Country
ROCKING the Grade Of War"

cradle OF European wars. BENG lnhdolteu Oy
many races with varying aspirations, packed
into small territory. It has provided ample OPP
.portunity for the Vaccinations OF old-World
diplomacy The war just closed. it will be re-
membered began with quarrel between Aus
tria and Serbia and now the most difficult
problem of peace seems to center around the
partition of former Austrian territory between
Italy and the new Serb state, Jugo-Slavia-
Italy entered the war against Germany after
being promised practically all this territory,
with the exception of the city of Fiume itself.
The war over. Italy demanded a fulillment Of
these promises But President Wilson, point
ing out that the United States was not party
to the promise, insisted On the rule or self
determination and declared that, moreover,
the granting of the Italian claims would cut
the Jugo-Slavs off from the Adriatic sea and
furnish pretext for new wars. After making
his position clear, he came home Later the
French British and Italian diplomats worked
out solution of the Adriatic question which
the president now asserts is in conflict with
the previous understanding, and he therefore
warns Europe that unless the new plan IS
dropped he will consider withdrawing the
peace treaty from the senate.
This warning has aroused the world Amer
lean opinion divides sharply on the issue. The
Omaha Bee (Rep) thinks that after all,
Ffume is the affair of Europe" and the Toledo
Blade Ind Rep agrees that control OF the
Adriatic is of no importance to America" The
Colorado Springs Telegraph (Rep) is persuad-
ed that withdrawal of the treaty, instead of
calamity, might prove a good way out OF the
sad mess in which the president has involved
u.s." and the New York Tribune (Rep) de-
clares that as I'VE are not at war with Italy
and not at war with Jugo-Slava, the president
has no power to give his judgment as TO where
their frontiers shall meet" Nor is the protest
confined to Republican papers; for the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer Qnd. DEM says this:
America, a nation which has ratified no
peace treaty, which is not a member of the
League of Nations, and which, above all, is not
directly interested in European problems or
even indirectly affected by the Adriatic settle
ment, is placed in the position not of debating
an agreement but of vetoing the only terms on
which an agreement can be built"
Moreover, the Johnstown Democrat DEM
believes that President Wilson should make
good his threat to pull out of European affairs.
He never had any business there while the
Springfield Republican Und) advises that 1.-The
United States should go into world politics
for keeps or. get out promptly and unmistak-
ably 1t is the half and half business caused
by the long delay of the senate in making final
disposition of the treaty that has brought this
confusion upon Europe
Others, however, support Mr.. Wilson's stand
! vigorously. There is no ground for European
| establishment" declares the St. Louis Post
| Dispatch tInd) the presidents --latest note is
the logical sequence of his first protest against
carrying out the secret, predatory bargains of
| the allies" The Milwaukee Journal Qnd }
thinks also that 1.-The president is standing for
| the principle he enunciated again and again
| that boundaries should conform to the racial
| complexion of the people and the wish of the
lieves that 1.-The whole future of the policy of
enforced peace depends on allied acceptance
| OF the Wilson terms. AS for the Italian claims
under the secret treaty of London the New
York World DEM denies that participation
in the war is something that is to be bought
and paid for-that war is an undertaking from
which dividends be expected" The Bridge
port Post lndD adds significantly:
| America has one vital interest-to see that
i the European settlement is on a lasting basis
One thing has been proved-that we cannot
keep out of a European war; therefore we have
a right to insist upon European peace"
The Chattanooga News Oem) supports the
president. I'VE should it says, begin now to
exert our powerful influence on such questions
as this. By SO doing we may bring Europe to
a more liberal point Of view" The plan of the
allies, says the Richmond News-Leader lind
DEM "is the recreation of a balance of mower
in Europe, return to the old diplomacy
while the Dayton News Dem) adds that #,
was such affairs as the one that has been nro.
NOTED in Paris that brought on the world war
and the Fort Worth Telegram lind DEM sees
in the incident "a striking illustration of why
it is absolutely necessary for the United States
to be in the League of Nations"