dogma among all their adversaries and some of their friends, have chinks
in their panoply through which reason and suasion may penetrate.

When the Italian withdrew from the Conference he had ample reason for
believing that in his absence peace could not be signed, and many
thought that, by departing, he was giving Mr. Wilson a Roland for his
Oliver. But this supposed tactical effect formed no part of Orlando's
deliberate plan. It was a coincidence to be utilized, nothing more. Mr.
Wilson had left him no choice but to quit France and solicit the verdict
of his countrymen. But Mr. Wilson's colleagues were aghast at the
thought that the Pact of London, by which none of the Allies might
conclude a separate peace, rendered it indispensable that Italy's
recalcitrant plenipotentiaries should be co-signatories, or at any rate
consenting parties. About this interpretation of the Pact there was not
the slightest doubt. Hence every one feared that the signing of the
Peace Treaty would be postponed indefinitely because of the absence of
the Italian plenipotentiaries from the Conference. That certainly was
the belief of the remaining delegates. There was no doubt anywhere that
the presence or the express assent of the Italians was a _sine qua non_
of the legality of the Treaty. It certainly was the conviction of the
French press, and was borne out by the most eminent jurists throughout
the world.[222] That the Italian delegates might refuse to sign, as
Signor Orlando had threatened, until Italy's affairs were arranged
satisfactorily was taken for granted, and the remaining members of the
inner Council set to work to checkmate this potential maneuver and
dispense with her co-operation. This aim was attained during the absence
of the Italian delegation by the decree that the signature of any three
of the Allied and Associated governments would be deemed adequate. The
legality and even the morality of this provision were challenged by
many.

But it may be maintained that the imperative nature of the task which
confronted the Conference demanded a chart of ideas and principles
different from that by which Old World diplomacy had been guided and
that respect for the letter of a compact should not be allowed to
destroy its spirit. There is much to be said for this contention, which
was, however, rejected by Italian jurists as destructive of the
sacredness of treaties. They also urged that even if it were permissible
to dash formal obs