e wishes of only one it would be better to ignore those of both. By
this prudent compromise all the demands of right and justice, for which
both governments were earnest sticklers, would thus be amply satisfied.

Our American associates were less easily appeased. In sooth there was
nothing left wherewith to appease them. Their press condemned the
"protectorate" as a breach of the Covenant. Secretary Lansing let it be
known[319] that the United States delegation had striven to obtain a
hearing for the Persians at the Conference, but had "lost its fight." A
Persian, when apprized of this utterance, said: "When the United States
delegation strove to hinder Italy from annexing Fiume and obtaining the
territories promised her by a secret treaty, they accomplished their aim
because they refused to give way. Then they took care not to lose their
fight. When they accepted a brief for the Jews and imposed a Jewish
semi-state on Rumania and Poland, they were firm as the granite rock,
and no amount of opposition, no future deterrents, made any impression
on their will. Accordingly, they had their way. But in the cause of
Persia they lost the fight, although logic, humanity, justice, and the
ordinances solemnly accepted by the Great Powers were all on their
side." ... One American press organ termed the Anglo-Persian accord "a
coup which is a greater violation of the Wilsonian Fourteen Points than
the Shantung award to Japan, as it makes the whole of Persia a mere
protectorate for Britain."[320]

Generally speaking, illustrations of the meaning of non-intervention in
the home affairs of other nations were numerous and somewhat perplexing.
Were it not that Mr. Wilson had come to Europe for the express purpose
of interpreting as well as enforcing his own doctrine, one would have
been warranted in assuming that the Supreme Council was frequently
travestying it. But as the President was himself one of the leading
members of that Council, whose decisions were unanimous, the utmost
that one can take for granted is that he strove to impose his tenets on
his intractable colleagues and "lost the fight."

Here is a striking instance of what would look to the average man very
like intervention in the domestic politics of another nation--well-meant
and, it may be, beneficent intervention--were it not that we are assured
on the highest authority that it is nothing of the sort. It was devised
as an expedient for getting outside help for the cap