Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-08
ITALY AND THE TRIESTE SLOVENES

In the Trente and the region OF
Trieste the italian armies are pro-
crossing slowly and
ItalY's Steady m t cally, and
have mastered DOM
These regions constitute the key to the
"irredentist" territories. the redemp-
tion Of which has decided Italy to cast
her lot with the allies. Indeed. Italy's
action was inevitable. The Ill will of
Austria was apparent even before
Italy's war in Lydia The chief of the
Austrian general staff. Gen. Conrad Won
Hoetzendorf, declared at that time:
Italy wishes to increase her strength
and will act when she is ready While
waiting she opposes Austria's am
billions in the Balkans and in the east
ern Mediterranean. 1t is necessary then
to strike down Italy that Austria
might have her hands free" And Won
Hoetzendorf added: II regret that Aus
tria did not attack Italy in 1907"
The late Archduke Francis Ferdinand,
the anniversary Of whose assassination
fell June %. never concealed from his
confidents his intention to attack Italy.
A0 SOEIASE0 uciAk SOFA 6NOS SoahS
curious details on this subject:
THE public does not know that
few years ago, when the triple alliance
was apparently in full effect. Vienna
made a special pact with Petrograd in
might Judge 1t useful to attack. This
pact is ignored, but it nevertheless
existed. The aggression was thus pre-
meditated. A. Vienna they will deny
it. perhaps, but we affirm 1t categorical
ly certain that we cannot be deceived
Besides, it was not a mystery for
whoever possessed any intimate rela-
tons in the court circles of Vienna that
the deceased archduke meditated pro-
voking a war against Italy rather than
against Serbia. The two Balkan wars
deranged partially the prepared plans.
but they were not abandoned. War
against Italy was considered by the
Archduke Francis Ferdinand not only
as necessity. but as sort Of spiritual
duty"
The solemn assertions of the Cor
riere della Sera come with special sig
nifioance at this moment in connection
with certain other assertions made in
Berlin.
The regions of Trente and Trieste
from the shores of Lake Garda. the
heights of Jarvis.
Historic Field Predil. Monte Nero
r and the Isonzo to
VI 1ostil1I1es. Montfalcone anu Co
rizia. the fields of actual operations be-
tween the Italian and Austrian armies.
are historic countries. 1t was here that
Charlemagne, having conquered the
barbarians planted there by Attila.
confided the administration of the con-
quered countries to counts, who little
by little increased their original pos
sessions by constant annexations, and
finally the emperors conferred upon
them the title Of hereditary dukes. Ro-
dolphe of Hapsburg. elected Emperor
Of Germany in 1878, delegated to his
sons the possession of Austria, Syria
and the Carniola, and 1t was thus the
dynasty of the Hapsburg was founded.
Charles v in 1922 coded the German
possessions of the house Of Austria to
later inherited from his wife the king
dom Of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1897
Pennsylvania was added to this power
full domain; in 1872 and 1875 the first
and third partitions of Poland added
and venitia were ceded in 1910.
Austria occupied in the Germanie
confederation a preponderant situation
which was diminished by the loss OF
Lombardy Gs59) and Venitia (1866).
and excluded from the Germanic con-
federation, Austria adopted dualis'
constitutfon-that is, she divided the
power with Hungary in sacrificing the
Slav populations. Since then the domes-
tic history of Austra-Hungary Is COM
prfsed in the incessant struggles with
the diverse nationalities that compose
the nation.
celebrated as the meeting place of the
in 1545, Terminated only in 1853, the
history of which was written by the
distinguished Fra Paolo Sarpi in 1919
the Venetian historian member of the
council of ten.
Agui1ee, situated near Trente. was q
city of great Importance formerly. and
was known as 1.-The second
Second Rome" It was destroyed
., by Atilla in 1852; today it is
0oe' a mere bourg of Illyrian
Austria, with 1000 Inhabitants. Aguilee
is also celebrated as the meeting place
of two councils, one in 3S1, held by
order Of st. Ambrose; the other in
$50. From the ruins of Aguilee there
arose nearby Enchanting Venice
which, with a presentiment that she
would find a rival in Trieste. did
everything in her power to absorb. an
mex or annihilate Trieste. But Trieste
has stood firm and remained until now
Joined to Austria. barring the years
of the French occupation, from 1909
1913.
Trieste, which today is the main OBJ
ject of the Italian armies that menace
her, possesses a population of $4,000
inha bitants who for a fact are more
Italian than Austrian. The customs.
costumes and idioms, indeed, are al
most entirely Italian.
Irredentism took root in all Italy
after the revolt of Venice. in 1s4S, and
assumed a serious phase after 1859.
The morning after Magenta and Sol
ferino It blazed out with sudden
vehemence, following the annexation
Of Venice. the "City Of the Doges," in
1866. Since then and despite all the
efforts made by Austria to strange
irredentist reclamation, the cry for the
redemption Of Trente and Trieste has
increased each day more openly and
more audacious, and despite the cabi-
nets Of Rome.
In normal circumstances the in
tangible Italian unity constituted a
powerful attraction for Italians Of
Austria. The actual war has stirred
the masses profoundly, who. notwith-
standing the hesitations Of govern