The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-29
ITALY DEFENDS COURSE
IN WAR WITH TURKEY
Officials Say in Some Instances
Soldiers Were Fired On
By Arab Women.
BY HENRY WOOD.
Rome Correspondent Of the United
Press and Detroit Times

FresS and Dctron lines.
ROME, Dec. 29.-Italy's first seri-
Gus realization that she would be able
to hold Tripoli and Cyrenaica only
by their complete subjugation was
something of double blow for II led
up 10 the situation which brought
down upon Italy the hostility and
Ecriticism-either justly or unjustly-
Of the entire foreign press, If not OF
the foreign governments themselves.
This situation was that OF the alleged
atrocities.
AS was stated in the preceding ar
ticle. Italy was busily attending TO
the moral and material development
of the occupied territory, and repuls-
ing occasional attacks from without,
when suddenly, during one OF the
fleroest OF these attacks, and evidently
ipatsa-given signal all OF the natives
inside Tripoli, who had previously
submitted. rose In revolt, and arming
themselves in some mysterious man
ner attacked the Italians from within
while the latter were repulsing the
enemy without BY heroic efforts the
Italians were able to repulse the en-
emy both in front and behind. but i'm
mediately afterwards General Caneya
inside OF the city found with arms
in his possession be shot, that every
house be searched. and that all OF the
inmates OF every one in which arms
or ammunition were found, be also
executed
Ii was the carrying out of this or
der Led 10 the reports in the en-
tire European and American press of
N -
native inhabitants of Tripoli. Although
sentiment now seems TO be turning
somewhat in favor OF Italy, it has not
been established by any outside inves-
tigation Just what measure of blame.
II any. should attach to the conduct
OF the Italian army
Italy herself issued numerous of
fetal denials OF the alleged massacres
as did also General Caneva himself.
The latter explained the nature OF
his order as welt as the necessity of
IL, and it has generally been conceded
that the action he took is the same
action that has always been taken in
such situations in the past and which
had to> be taken after the natives had
shown their treachery and the bad
faith OF their pretended submission.
As TO the charges that women and
children were put 10 death, IL is the
claim of the Italians that the only wo-
men and children put TO death were
those actually engaged in treachery
the Italians admitting that there
were q number OF such and that they
were accorded TO same treatment as
the men To the charge that innocent
suffered as we'll as the guilty, the ltal-
ians admit that this is entirely pos
siblc because OF the excitement. but
on The other hand point out that the
Italian temperament Is not one OF
cruelty. In some instances, they say,
the Italian soldiers We're actually hr
ed upon by Arab women and children.
This sudden awakening of the ltal-
ians TO the fact that they would have
10 subdue the entire territory-nat
urally threw the whole occupation
back onto purely military basis
again. which resulted I'm step which
at first was not contemplated This
was the actual annexation OF the ter
-ritories OF IFipoli- and -Cyrenaica-the
sovereignty OF which italy had, at
nrsL beep willing to grant TO Tur-
key-and their incorporation under
the rule OF the Italian crown.
King Victor Emmanuel. in signing
the decree OF annexation, pointed out
20 the powers that Il had been brought
about by Turkeys refusal TO make
peace. its insistence Oh prolonging a
useless war, and the fact that all OF
the principal cities of the two terri
tories were then I'm the full military
occupation OF Italy.