New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-01
Circumstances Alter Judgments,

MI
Our Spruce Street jurisconsult, the Hon.
Herman Ridder is extremely critical OF
the motives which inspired Italy to de-
clare war on Austria Hungary He pct
ures Italy as a sordid purse-snatcher,
treacherously trying TO profit from the
misfortunes of a former ally. Here are
some passages from his feverish indict-
ment:
She Italy was actuated solely by soreid
greed for things which were not hers. Her
sorry. almost pitiful, attempts to excupate
herself before the world have only increased
the stigma which she must bear in years 10
come. She has waited until she thinks
the enemy beaten, that her spoils may be the
more easily won. With cheap bravado now,
and mean and inexplicable treachery, she at
tempts to drive her knife into the back OF her
former allv. Were her spoils to be all
Furoue they would still not requite her for
what she has lost. She will live through all
time a pitiful, abject and creeping thing
among nations. Ostracism will be the bread
which the tears Of her sons and daughters
shall wet. and contempt the pillow upon
which their sleepless heads shall toss and
mourn
This outburst of moral indignation
would be much more impressive If 1T did
not happen to clash ali along the line with
the judgments on Italys conduct which
Mr.. Ridder was expressing last October,
when the government at Rome seemed bent
on following a policy of strict neutrality.
At that time the editor of the Stats
Zeitung" defended Italy's refusal to live
up to the obligations of the Triple Alliance
treaties, as the latter were construed by
Germany and Austria Hungary. Here Is
the generous generation of Italian policy
which Mr.. Ridder furnished:
The terms of the treaty THAT underlying
the Triple Alliancel were plain enough. They
teouired that Italy join forces with Germany
and Austria in the present war, just as dur
ING the whole life of the document they had
required such service in the case OF any
European coalition against one or more OF
the allies By every sane Interpretation OF
the treaty Italy was called upon to throw
her lot with those who had stood ready TO
do the same for her. And yet say that Italy
was perfectly justified in declining to do
Italy wanted the potential fruits Of the
Triple Alliance as much as did Austria or
Germany. She reaped her share of them.
The time arrived, however, when Austria and
Germany were lured into war by powerful
combination, the outcome of which was highly
problematical. Italy had only an "entanglng
alliance" TO draw her into it. She did the wise
thing and kept out. In doing she consulted
not her promises as they stood in black and
tha si0 Of hon n
tiaries, but her own present interests. These
Law with peace rather than with war. The
right of choice was given her by every rule
of international conduct, historical and
present and she exercised il for the good Of
Italy.
Mr.. Ridder was then stoutly champion
ing the theory that nations have right to
repudiate treaties whose provisions have
become disadvantageous and onerous.
When he was writing about Italy ne had
in mind the "scrap of paper" which Ger
many had made of the treaty guarantee
ing the neutrality of Belgium.
But if Italy was, in his opinion, free
to disregard the pledges embodied in the
Triple Alliance treaties to the extent of
refusing TO join Austria Hungary and
Germany, she certainly had an equal right
to disregard them to the further extent OF
Joining the anti Teutonic combination. If,
in spite of the treaties, Italy had 1.-THE
right of choice" the privilege of consult
ing her own interests above everything
else, she was entitled to pursue those
interests to a logical conclusion, even if
that pursuit should bring her INTO con-
fict with her former associates.
What Mr.. Ridder now calls treachery he
formerly lauded as wise and practical
craftsmanship. That was his view, even
though he put too extreme construction
on Italy's obligations to the other Triple
Alliance powers-a construction which the
government at Rome rejected and which
apparently had little basis in reality.
He may have forgotten his earlier COM
mendation of Italy's course when he let
loose his recent philippe But others have
not forgotten it. The two judgments
should be read together by those who nay
be tempted to take seriously his dc lama
tory assault on Italy as pariah among
nations.