The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-09
TRIP Of
WILSON CLEARSUP
WRONG ATTITUDE
Nation Is Revealed as Most
Misunderstood of Allies BY
~AmeriCa-Many Think He
Will Favor AdriatiC Claims.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
The News Seimitar's Special Corre-
spondent,

s%pondent.
PARIS, Jan. 9.-The net impression
of President Wilson'S trip through
Italy which remains with me on my
retur to Paris is that there is simply
no describing the warmth of the wei
come given to the president and the
depth Of the friendship for America
manifested by the government and the
Italian people, Seeing IS beleVlhg, anu
l witnessed the reception. lnVestlga-
ton of the political situation, especially
among disinterested American obserV-
ers, leads to the conclusion that Italy
is the most misunderstood in America
Of all the allies.
To say that Rome Is the last inn
perialistic capital on this continent,
although the spirit of liberation is
most intense among the people, is a
statement by those who have been
judging Italy by the emphasis given
to territorial questions in prewar ne
gotiations or by the assertion OF her
present claims to the Adrlatic. The
truth is that the Italians have been
more interested in seeing general WI
sonian principles adopted and in the
possible growth Of Italian American
understanding than in securing our AID
in the rectification of their frontiers
Demand for the Dalmatian coast mas
been growing until no politician would
be popular If he opposed 1t, yet 1t would
be wrong to interpret this as a grown
Of the a%nnexationist spirit.
Rather, it is a conviction that the
Wilson principle of recognizing ma
tionalities means the inclusion in Italy
of Fume. Moderates here speak OF
internationalizing that and other ports,
but it is easy to see that the Italian
populace is depending upon Mr.. Will
sons aid at that conference to obtain
the Adriatic cities for Italy. To the
contrary arguments OF the Jugo-SlaVs'
Italians point out that there are nu-
merous other seaports for the former.
1t is plain to see that French invest
ments in the Balkans are leading to
anxiety lest Serbia fail to be properly
constituted, but Italians are confident
that they are able to handle the situa-
ton. To the casual observer it Is diff
ficult to say how much the influence
Of financial Investment is behind va
rious claims, but unless the recent
manifestations are artificial, which is
not believed the case by disinterested
| Americans in Italy, the Italians are alb
solutely a unit in regard to the ne
cessity of obtaining Fiume and a por-
ton Of Dalmatia.
Looking far ahead, it would not be
surprising to find Mr.. Wilson sympa-
thizing with Italian aspirations in re-
gard to the Adriatic, because there is
evidence of a plentiful liberalism grow
ing up in Italy, and there is less dam
i ger Vi d llllSuS6 Vi power ludH Atlell-
cans have usually been led to believe.
The recent ministerial crisis empha-
sized the capacity of the Italians to
handle their political affairs, and there
is little danger of Bolshevism In Italy,
because the liberal parties are in the
~aScendanCy.
Mr.. Wilson's opportunity to speak in
the Italian chamber of deputies was Of
immense Importance. 1t was the first
time any stranger had been permitted
to speak there in 40 years. Editors Of
important Italian newspapers assured
me that Italian friendship for America
is no recent claim, but a gradual growth
during the war until the ~populace is
ready to align itself with American
instead of previous European allies. 1t
is remarkable, this readiness to make
America - ally, but the sentiment is
most pronounced in Italy and England.
In Italy is Is not merely sentimental in
origin, but Is based on the conviction
that America and Italy will have much
in common economically. There is an
expectation that American bankers will
extend financial aid to Italian enter
prise and also that American raw mate
rails will be used In numerous Italian
factories converting from war into
peace uses.
There Is a big opportunity, especially
for American coal and iron. There is a
universal feeling that America and Italy
will be drawn together in closer bust
ness relations, due to more shipping
Everywhere the necessity of under
standing Italian business methods is
emphasized, but owing to the impover-
ished and d~isorganized condition of Eu-
ropean resources a large market is
available for us in Italy.
Altogether President Wilson'S visit tc
Italy may be pronounced a striking
success. The president himself is glat
he went, privately expressing the view
that there are a great many reasons
why Italy and America should be joined
now and in the future. Briefly, Mr.
Wilson was given such applause by al
the newspapers OF all political factions
the oldest Italian statesman to com
pare with the reception, and one is wei
warranted in predicting that America
will have no stronger friend at the
peace table than Italy.
Copyright, 1919, by the New York
Evening Post, lnc.)