New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-21
Our Italian Guests

The official representatives of a third
auv will he welcomed to this city today
We shall offer our homage to Italy as we
offered it a few weeks ago to france
and then TO Great Britain. All these ma
tions are our brothers in arms. Each OF
them has labored and suffered heroically
for the cause which we have made our
cause.
Italv's entrance into the war was de-
laved nearly a year. Our entrance was
DELAYED nearly three years. In taking up
arms against the Teutonic combination
both Italv and the United States had to
reconsider a policy of neutrality, stoutiy
declared. and to overcome the inertia OF
reluctant governments. The people OF the
limited States and those Of Italy both had
the chance to keep out of the war and 70
prosper by keeping out. But they couid
not continue to live in peace except at
sacrifice of national traditions. we were
unwilling to submit to the abrogatlon OF
our rights on the high seas for German
military convenience. We could not en-
dure. as a full grown and powerful nation
y dictation which we resented in ISL,
when we were a feeble, Impoverished third
class power.
Italy. too. could not renounce her past
Tbougb automatically entangled at the
outbreak of the war, her people could not
renress their racial and national instincts.
Tbev answered the call of Italian freedom
and unitv-a call which they had been an
swering since the days of Cavour and
Caribaldi. An anti-war government was
powerless to obstruct the popular response
70 the appeal of the unredeemed provinces
bevond the Austrian border.
ralv was still, in 1914, member of the
TRIBE Alliance. She was bound to assist
Germany and Austria-Hungary in any war
which could be construed as defensive on
their part. But Vienna's declaration OF
war on Serbia and Germany's declaration
of war on Russia. France and Belgium IN
validated the triple compact. ltalys real
interests had never been served by that
agreement. 1t was entered into in pc
Rod of temporary estrangement from
France. following the latter's acquisition
e Tunis. 1t was the fruit of Crspi's mar
row-visioned craftsmanship. 1t involved
an unnatural covenant with Italy's tradi-
tional enemy, the House of Hapsburg, the
ancient oppressor of the Italian states.
Crispi's handiwork fouted aspirations
which are in Italy's blood 1t broke with
the policy Of Cavour. The alliance with
Austria-Hungary was political mockery
And when war came the spirit Of the
Italian people rebelled against compact
which sought to fasten German-Austriar
domination on Europe-and on the rest OF
the world.
italy came to herself and, after full de
liberation, cast her lot with the Entente
powers. She preferred the cause of free
national development, Of loyal and honor
able internationalism, Of security under
the law of nations, to Teutonic militarlsn
and the rule Of brute force. After ever
greater deliberation we have made thu
same choice. We both entered the wal
with eyes open. The decision to enter i
came in each case from the mass Of The
people, through the pressure of democratic
sentiment slowly working up from the bot
tom TO the top.
Italy and the United States stand there
fore in a special relation to each other ant
TO the war. We are recruits to the SAM
cause.-the cause Of emancipation, of lib
eralism and of a stable worlds peace. Thu
greatest city of the new continent, will
more inhabitants Of Italian blood than
Rome or Milan or Naples can boast, there
fore welcomes the delegates from ltal!
with open hands Garibaldi lived here
And this is Garibadi's war as truly a!
were the earlier wars for Italian Unica
ton. Remembering him and Cavour anC
Mazzini and all the great race Of liberia
tors, we greet our Italian guests as broth
ers in arms and spirit, now happily cooper
ating with us for the destruction Of that
intolerable and Infamous thing which Ger
man military autocracy represents.