New-York tribune., 1920-02-29

pressures, that coming fro,, ~ -.
Nationalists and that from 4. s %
cialists. The Jugo-slav. arr !.
better of. while the reperu,.;os' =
are felt all through Europe.
1t will be perceived, then -. J
little Of the real Fiume question :
actually comprehended In a d;,.,
sion Of the case Of the citv ,..sI
and how symptomatic it IA ~ -.
whole European network of MI
lemk
The Promised Rewards
Fundamentally, the situat,o
turns upon a fact which has ont
now begun to be appreciated IN tb
United States. President Wilson h.
lieved, when he went to Europe th,.
he had only to insist upon the for-
teen points and he would Be- nm
ported by the mass Of the psopl, q
all nations. Having thus estshlhA.a
peace on this basis, he assumed th,sV
it would automatically sndus, 4, /.
"peace Of justice"
In Europe he discovered that DUR
ing the war the nations involved had|
been compelled to make agreements!
to promise Japan, Italy and Rul
mania certain rewards for partici|
patton. Promised these rewards
Japan, Italy and Rumania had en|
tered the war to the very grea|
profit Of France and Britain, viii
otherwise would have been defeated
These agreements, the famous "se|
cret treaties" manifestly conhicte|
with the fourteen point. bu|
neither France nor Britain coui|
safely go back on these agreement
Il the nations that held their pledge
insisted upon performance. In th|
case Of Japan President WilsoI
agreed in the end to yield, and Will
informal promises of Shantun}
evacuation Japan acquired what bal
been promised her.
In the case of Italy the Presiden|
refused TO yield, and the Italians in|
sisted upon performance. Britaid !
and France we're thus called upol|
to decide whether their pledge I'd
Italy was "scrap Of paper" or their
decision to follow Mr., Wilson neces,
sarily abolished. For many months,
for a whole year. British and French
statesmen have been temporizing,
seeking to keep in with Wilson,
while not actually breaking with
Italy. Meantime the French have
more and more inclined to stand
with the Italians, and the British
with Wilson.
Issue Unchanged m
To-day the issue remains n 4
changed. Italy demands tho Nt d
formance Of solemn pledges en- q
bodied In the Treaty Of London and
points to the fact that one Of TIE
great issues Of the war was tie
maintenance Of the sanctity Of h
ternational obligations. Britain Nd
France, having tried to arrive q
compromise and having merely +
aroused the Presidents indignation
are still faced with the dilemma
The gravity Of the problem lies u
the fact that even complies =
ceptance of the Presidents leadr
ship and the consequent alienation q
Italy may not insure American sse
port for the future, while yielding p
Italy and estranging the PresAspl
may lead to the loss Of ali chance q
American assistance or Amerlcal
participation. All Of which Is "
other way Of saying that Europe, =
the hope Of enlisting American y
in European reconstruction A
peace maintenance, has placed \
the Presidents hands absolute vsR
power, so far as it's own poilcia
are concerned, only to discover sns'
it has not acquired any sssursnce
of American participation. NoM
the French and the Italians, IKE tn1
Rumanians and the Greeks, desn |
to regain freedom of action =
take away the Presidents pes@
Of veto, while Great Britain STU ~
sists upon placating The gfss'p.As
because British statesmen still ehns
t. the idea that America, II not ~
gusted. will presently come bacA ny
European affairs -ss
This means, if 1t means anysa'9
nat the Continent France pss
and the smaller stat will at no ~
tant time repudiate the Pres'oeas
control Of European affairs. WIZ
British opposition to such repuss
ton will lead to a complete break