The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-19
EXPLAINS AIMS OF THE ITALIANS
 IN GREAT WAR
Director Ferrero Says Italy Wants Only a Reasonable
 and Just Frontier.

Italian war aims are not imperial istic, but may be defined as the desire for a reasonable frontier, according to Felice Ferrero, Director of the Italian Bureau of Information, who lectured on that topic at the City Col lege Wednesday,.
 The first aim of Italy is victory" he said, but of course victory must necessarily lead to some territorial readjustments in Europe, such as the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France and certain questions affecting Italy. Because of what Italy has been sup posed to expect in this direction she has been accused of imperialism and has been criticised on that account, which we think is not quite fair. This criticism is based on the treaty con cluded when Italy entered the war in 1915, and published last winter by Leon Trotsky, according to which It. al- was to receive part of Asia Mi nor, the Irredenta inhabited by 1tal- ians in Austria, and also certain parts of Dalmatia which were inhabited chiefly by Slavs and districts of Tyrol inhabited chiefly by Germans.
 50 far as Asia Minor is concern ed, it is hardly fair to talk about Italian imperialism; it was not case of concessions to Italy, but of a pro- posal to divide Asia Minor into four spheres of influence for England, France, Italy, and Russia, France and England very nearly divide Afri- | ca between them, but this does not mean imperialism; everybody knows that the African races are incapa- ble of. ruling themselves, and that the condition of Africa was such | while they were independent that 1t was a thorn in the side of the world.
 Not until France and England were in control was navigation safe along the coast of Africa, was slavery abolished, nor was the country safe for the entry of Europeans. This was not imperialism, but a civilizing influence. The population of Asia Minor has never shown any indica- ton of capacity for ruling itself, and the division into spheres of if1uence was a guarantee to the world at large of the introduction of civilization in place of Turkish rule. But at any rate that has now been abandoned, and what will become of Asia Minor no one knows
 "So far as Da1natia and parts of l the Tyro1 are concerned, there Is no question that the arrangements of the treaty of 1915 would bring con- siderable numbers of Slavs and Ger mans under Italian rule. Objection has been made to this on two princi- ples-the idea of nationality and that of self determination of peoples. But we are fighting. not for incorporeal principles, but to bring about prac- tical results.
 Both of these principles are very well in their way, but they cannot be applied absolutely; we should avoid the mistake of thinking that an absolute rule of justice can be ap- piled to the settlement of the affairs of Europe. There will always be some one who is not satisfied. The prin- ciple of nationality will not work in practical applications. For example all except the idea that Alsace-I,or. raine must be returned to France But the French are hardly claiming this on the principle of nationality for very large part of the popuIa ton of Alsace at least is German ant speaks German, although the people prefer France.
 "Another case is that of the Poles We have promised to accord freedom to all the Slav nations, including Pc land. and according to President Will
 son Poland should receive an outIe to the sea. which is quite reasonable
 But Poland cannot get such an outIe
 without annexing some territory oc cupied. by. Germans - Konigsberg
 Danzig. or both. Here is anothe
 case where the principle of national ity can be accepted only conditional ly. due to very reasonable politica
 considerations. The same is true o : the Jewish State in Palestine, a coun } Ing In the doorway. with the glintin
 barrel of revolver levelled at me Ir, fln.- II....s