The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-07-31
San Marine, Oldest and Smallest
Independent Safe, Enters Hos
tilities Against Austria-lt Is
In Italy Near Adriatlc Coast.
II Has No Navy, but an Army
Of 1000.
DISPATCH a few months ago
from Lugano, Switzerland. said
that San Marine. the little re-

(A0k
from Lugano, Switzerland. said
"a that San Marine. the little re-
- public on the Adriatic, but en-
tirely surrounded by Italian territory,
has officially approved the Italian at
titude toward Austria and has declared
itself to be In a state Of war.
Situated In the Apennine range OF
mountains on the east coast Of the
kingdom, with her citadel perched on
the top OF Monte Titano almost 2,65O
feet high. she looks out over the blue
waters Of the Adriatic sea to he sweep
Of Austrian territory to the north and
east of her, which Is Italian in all but
nationality and is known to the Ital-
ians as Italia Ir-iedenta" or "unre-
deemed Italy" because it once formed
part Of the Italian states Of the middle
ages ard because a majority Of the peo-
pie are of Italian stock. Since Aus
trial seized it in 1913 1t has been the
cherished wish of the Italians to re-
gain 1t, and it has been to them what
Alsace-Loraine is to the French since
the Franco-Prussian wal.
So Small It's Often Ignored.
San Marine is SO small that it is sell
dom to be found ON the maps. The
greater number Of Biographies ignore
Its existence. Nevertheless it has the
honor Of being the Oldest If the small
est republic in the world.
San Marine has rested there proudly
and securely for more than LOCO years.
Its entire territory is thirty-three square
miles in area. A census taken In July,
1913, gives 1t a population Of 11,04l. 1t
Is surrounded entirely by Italian terri
tory and its strategic position gives 1t
Importance. 1t Is but twelve miles
from Rimini and dominates the Adri-
attic. Had 1t continued neutral, Aus
TRAN aeroplanes could have taken ref
uge in San Marino, been repaired, Sc
cured new supplies and then returned
home. Now, with the republic Joined
with Italy in the war. this is not posi-
BILE.
The Brobdingnagian nations In the
war broke peace to fight each other,
but this liliputian republic merely OPEN
ed hostilities after a truce Of fifty years.
After the statesmen of San Marino had
Issued their neutrality declaration they
discovered that the nation had declared
war against Austria fifty years ago,
and San Marine entered the war by
merely reafirming that a state Of war
exists with Austria.
>-a-I 49, A~>
On Nov. II, 1914, San Marine defed
the kaiser In a reply to the demand of
the German ambassador that the wire
less station at Monte Titano, which is
In direct communication with the Elf
fel tower, be demolished. San Marine
in its reply recalled the ancient tradi-
lions of liberty and the dignity of the
republic and described the demand Of
the ambassador as an unjustifed and
l~ntolerable interference.
THE republic Of San, Marino," 1t
said, strong In Its right. has never
permitted interference by other states
In its internal affairs"
In January last the German govern
ment protested at San Marino. accus-
Ing the republic Of encouraging espion-
age through its wireless station. and
threatened to send a German commits
sion to inquire into the matter. The
republic declined to receive the COM
Once before, in the eighth century.
the people of San Marine defed the
Germans. or at least the Holy Roman
empire, in the person OF the mighty
.harlemagne, who. according to his
Einkhard. was destined to
lie without ever having heard Of San
Marine or its declaration. But that
ieclaration exists and Is said to be the
document preserved which de-
ines the status of the republic.
Two years ago. although all the peo-
Sic Of San Marine are Roman Catho-