The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-11-09

! Italian liberty and unity, the other
standing for slavery in Italy and
elsewhere-has terminated in the
collapse of the Hapsburg monarchy.
Almost q. thousand years OF evil his
tory. of struggling against human
freedom. in Switzerland, in Bohemia,
in Hungary, in Poland and in the
Balkans, against the unity of the
German people, of the Poles, the
italians, the northern Slavs and the
southern Slays, has come to an end
in one short week.
1t is difficult to preserve any sort
of perspective when events are
hurrying on at such a pace More
has happened affecting European
conditions; greater changes in the
map and in the internal organiza-
tons of natios, than in any other
month since Napoleon fell, in 1914.
Yet. great as is the procession OF
events, the final realization of ItaI-
ian aspirations is worthy to stand
| with the most considerable. 1t is
a final CELEBRATION of the portion
of the iniquitous system which Met
! ternich fastened upon Europe at
! the Congress of Vienna. 1t is the
[ final and the logical step in the lib
Grafton of the Italians, who have
| been the slaves to successive con-
querors ever since Rome fell. As
such it is a great and enduring set.
The Italian victory instantly
raises great problems, discussion Of
which in the main must be adjourn
ed until the war has ended and the
world goes to a peace conference
to remake the world map. But it is
clear that If the peace of the world
is to be preserved henceforth there
must be a proper settlement be-
and the southern Slavs and the
Greeks on the other The conflict
between Slav and Italian claims in
! the regions along the Adriatic, be-
| tween the Greeks and the Italians
| in Northern Epirus and the Egean
| Islands must be settled in accord
ance with the principles CT nation
| ality, the principles INDICATED by
Italy in her long and noble struggle
for unity and freedom, or what IS
| left inequitably decided will have
to be settled rightly in the future.
/ If there is left bitterness between
the Slavs and the Italians grow
| ing out of the occupation of Slav
lands by the Italians, then the Ger
mans will, in the future, find a
| j
| they at some future time seek to re-
gain a port on the Adriatic, to re-
take Trieste, which is bound to be
the object of later German covetous-
| ness. And If the Greeks are reused
| the possession of the Greek regions
of northern Epirus and of the
| Greek Islands in the Egean, Greece
| will also lend as ready an ear to
future Teutonic whispers
| Beyond all question, it will fall to
Italy to protect and organize Alban-
ia. This carries with it the certain
possession of Valona, just as the
! possession ca Pola on the north is
assured. Between the Slavs and the
| been signed and a tentative accom-
mediation has been arranged, but
the final settlement will come be-
fore the peace conference Be-
tween the Greeks and the Italians
there is no settlement, but nego-
! tiations are in progress. All Am eri-
cans must hope that in these nego-
tiations Italy will be guided by a
] generous recognition of the very
principles she has, in her own his
tory, so nobly indicated. This
i hope will be the keener because no
| where are there more specifically
unpleasant obstacles to permanent
peace than in the Adriatic and the
/ Egean.
/ Putting aside the problems of the
| future, it is for all Americans to
congratulate Italy, an ally, who has
sent thousands Of her sons to this
country and whose relations with
us in the future must be far more
intimate. A hundred years of noble
aspiration, gallant sacrifice and i'm
cessant effort are now crowned with
complete success. Italy has achiey-
ed national reunion. She has also
achieved political emancipation. For
| fully a. generation she has been
chained to the car Of the reactionary
nonarchies Of the Hapsburgs and
the Hohenzo1lerns. Her natural al
! lies. France and Britain. the West