New-York tribune., 1918-05-22
Peace With
Italy Sought
By Austria
Concessions, Approved by
Germany, Said to Have
Been Offered
By C. w. Gilbert


WASHINGTON, May zl-1t is re-
ported in diplomatic circles here that
Austria recently offered concessions to
Italy with view to obtaining a sepa-
rate peace. Italy is said to have re-
fused to consider the proposals. 1t is
understood that Austria was moved by
her internal difficulties to make the
overtures, especially by the trouble she
is having with her Slavic subject
peoples.
Germany is reported to have brought
pressure to bear upon Austria to make
what she regarded adequate eonces-
sinns to Italy, for Germany wished
to eliminate Italy from the war. and
moreover to relieve the strees within
Austria herself.
Austria as an ally is fast becoming
a burden rather than an aid to Ger
many, for the task of sustaining her
as. combatant falls upon Berlin. Since
Italy reached an agreement with the
Jugo- Slavs Austria's future has be-
come precarious and the need of OBJ
tanning peace with Italy which will
prevent her fomenting revolution
among the Slavs more imperative.
The policy of supporting the separa-
tist ambitions of the Czechs and
Jugo-Slavs has evidently become more
definite. A short time ago all that
existed was an agreement made In
London between the representatives
of large element in Italy and agents
of the Jugo-Slavs. This agreement
was unofficial. An Italian authority
here in Washington said to-day with
regard to the peace proposals OF
Austria:
'Italy will not listen to any proposal
such approach. She will go on with
her military operations and at the same
time with her political work among the
oppressed nationalities of Austria Hun
gary, with whom a complete agreement
has been reached which is bound to
bear important results in short time.
Complete Understanding Reached
SIT is not possible now to reveal the
basis of the agreements between Italy
on one side and the Czecho-Slovaks
and Jugo-Slavs on the other, as it
would involve. revelation of the plans
of action. The fact is, the understand
ing is complete on every point. and the
Eastern Adriatic and Balkan problems
will not in the future be the source of
constant disagreements that they have
been in the past.
"Italy feels deeply the sympathy that
races. 1t is a matter of history that
of all the European nations Italy was
the first to establish friendly relations
with Russia, at that time the rccog-
nized spokesman of all the Slavic ma
tionalties. 1t is also matter of his
tory that even during the years of the
Triple Alliance Italy prevented alone
the realization of the plans of aggres-
sion against Serbia and Montenegro.
"1taly's attitude in this regard was
not dictated solely by the necessity of
preventing the extension of the Teu~
tonic power into Southeastern Europe,
but primarily by the sentiment that
the Eastern Adriatic problem resem-
bled in many respects the Italian prob
lem prior to 1856.
Italy in Role of Champion
"Italy stands to-day as she has stood
for the past thirty years-as the cham
pion of the nationalities threatened by
the pan-Germanic plan of aggression
and expansion. This role Italy shared
with Russia until the new status was
established in the great Slav nation.
Since, however, the Bolshevik govern
ment abandoned the protection of the
Slavic peoples, this role of champion
ship of their rights and interests rests
upon Italy.
1.-THE agreement reached with the
Slavic nationa1ities, oppressed or
threatened with opposition by Aus
tria-Hungary and German. has been
the result of the clear understanding
Italy has had and has of. the Balkan
problem. The work of convincing the
races long oppressed and often de-
ceived by others that italy was sim
cerely working for their freedom has
been difficult and long. Italian diplo-
macy in good faith has succeeded at
last. The Rome agreement may
therefore be sonsidcred for that rea-
son one of the hardest blows delivered
against the Teutonic powers since the
war started"
This statement implies that the
Italian government has entered into a
formal agreement with the various
groups of Austrian Yavs, and that the
policy of disrpting of Austria is q
definite one, at least on the part of
Italy. 1t may well be the policy of
the whole Entente to-day, for it is to
be recalled that the original agreement
with the Jugo-Slavs, the so-colled
Tore agreement, was drafted in Lon
Continasd on Page Q, Column 6