South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-24
TALY'S "FUME' AND TTALY'S 'FIUME'
JUST A MATTER OF BRIDES.

Italy's retirement from the big four" if she
has retired, merely serves TO put her outside, per
haps where she belongs. her attachment to the
entente, and detachment from the "triplets," hav-
ing from the start been a matter OF brides than of
principle. Because world ideals embraced in the
League Of Nations covenants. and the plans of flu
ture peace involved in the treaty with Germany.
does not include the collection Of Italy's wanted
bride territory, promised her through the secret
treaties entered into with England. France and
Russia. she is reported as proposing to retire; in
deed. as having retired already.
Italy's demands. quite as some OF Frances have
been. are so Prussianesque in mental. moral and
territorial turpitude. as TO deserve scarcely more
consideration than the demands Of Germany. Quite
without question Italy would have fought on the
side Of Germany in this war. as sine was expected to
do at the outset, had not the entente gotten it
TO her that they were to win, and that she would
stand a better chance Of collecting rewards from
the winners than from the losers. Her reward was
TO be the domination Of the Adriatc. the entire
DaImatau coast, and the city of Fiume-of course,
10 be taken from someone else and given to her:
her place in the sun"
such was the treaty of London t191f). and such
the present bone of contention" in Paris, due to
the transfer Of nationalities and sovereignty. with
out elf-determination Is Italy any better than
Germany in her insistence upon acquiring sover-
eighty over the coveted Jugo-Slav territory? Was
she iI the war TO make the world safe for de
mocracy,' or to suppress militarism. or was she
just in it to acquire "a place in the sun and TO
shine dominant along the DaImatian coast. and hot
above the Adriatic sea? That she was in it on the
part Of the allies for this latter purpose. is now
quite plain. and that she would have been in il on
the side Of Germany 10 the same end. had she be-
iieved in Germany's success. is quite as certain.
ItaIy's retreat 20 the Piave is pretty well known
IN diplomatic circles-was known at the time
10 have been intent upon surrender TO the~Huns:
K appearing at the time as though Germany might
win. and thar she might be "A more fruitful source
OF reward after ali. i was allied diplomacy back
OF the italian army. and this supplemented by al
lied troops. that STAYED the Austrian advance. Italy's
head being again turned 70 anticipating an allied
victory. Like Roumanla, she has fought with the
allies TO be on the side OF the winners. regarding
collection OF her wanted brides more certain from
such source. She has not fought from any prin-
ciple Of liberty, democracy. anti-miIitarism. or any
thing else humanitarian. tt was 10 her a campaign
OF expansion. an expansion OF Italian Imperialism
and nothing less or more.
That retreat TO the Piave: of course. the eNigen-
cies OF the moment justified the allies in charac-
terizing it as the result Of German propaganda sat
urating the italian army. and it was. But it came
from above downward through diplomacy to the
statesmen Of Rome. thence out 10 the Italian gen
erals. effective IN the army through official COM
mands. The stand at the Piave. and then the re
treat therefrom. was likewise the result OF allied
propaganda-diplomaticaly instued into the
Roman" statesmen. and thence pushed out to the
Italian generals. accompanied by several detach-