Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-29
Italy and United States
Philadelphix Ledger.

Philadelphix Ledger.
1t is impossible to believe that the liberty
loving Italians will leave the league of demo-
| cratic nations over an issue in which the judg-
ment of the plain people throughout these west
ern nations is undoubtedly against them. 1t was
an American voice that was chosen to say what
was necessary, possibly because the Italian peo-
pie would know that America had no Interior
objects to serve and that the American people
loved no other land in Europe more than Italy
the Italy of majestic traditions. monumental
achievements and signal modern championship
of liberty that had no parallel in)the 10Th cen
fury. But it Is clear enough that British and
French voices spoke in the same tongue.
1t would be suicide for Italy to divorce her
self today from the allies. Economically, finan-
cially and industrially she can no more do with
out US than we can do without her in the crea-
which is to make it a matter of indifference who
commands the naval harbors and the strategic
channels of the eastern Adriatic. The tempest
of war that has just swept over Europe uproot-
ing dynastes, shatterng mighty empires. and
shifting national boundaries, has rresistibly
blown Italy into the camp of the allies OF lib
erty; and there she must stay on whatever terms
we can all achieve. The united democracies of
the world cannot spare her; they cannot risk
that she may again be carried into the malign
circle that centers On Berlin. And she cannot
spare US, our sympathy and our cooperation
With her most passionate protests we shall
have patience and understanding. 1t is not that
she departs from the right or the ideal, but that
she yearns tor reunited family, Blood is
thicker than water" But she will eventually
in need of the calm. the escape from military
burdens, the serene security from attack, the OPP
portunity to develop and prosper, which the best
united efforts to remove economic grievances
all round ought 20 achieve, than is that exposed,
vulnerable, economically dependent eastern out
post of western democracy that we know as
Italy"
American sympathy with Italian dsappoint-
ment will be intense. There is no nation in
Europe which our people had rather see attain
their hearts desire. But it is difficult to escape
the feeling that some one has taken advantage
of the chivalry and race unity of the Italian peo
pie to lead them into false position They seem
to have set their affections of late on Fiume.
But Fiuhe was not allotted to them by France
and Britain even in the dark hour of their great
need when they were ready to do almost any
thing to keep Prince Won Bueow and his handy
man, Gioletti, from buying and selling Italy into
the odious service of the Austrian. Even at that
critical time Fiume was granted, Italy asserting,
to Croatia. Yet some one has now so carven
."Fiume" on the Italian heart that Orlando and
even the grim and stubborn Sonnino are re-
ported to have been willing to trade the Dali
matan coast for it.
This was-whatever else may be said for it
not a friendly act Fiume is for Italy sent-
mental luxury She wants it, not because it will
be of any vital use to her, but because the ma
jority of its population is Italian and passion
greater Italy. But for the Slav population be-
hind Fiume it is as vital as an opening into
Black Hole of Calcutta. They cannot breathe"
commercially without it. In two words, who
ever committed the Italians to Incorporating
their demand for Fiume in their righteous cru
pration that commanded the eager assent of
mankind with an infusion of economic injustice
which Italian sanity will ultimately reject.
incidentally, secret diplomacy has suffered
another backhanded slash, which further dimin-
ishes its already badly punctured prestige. This
cherished method of diplomats from the time of
the pyramids MAS been industriously employed
by the peace delegates through weeks of dra-
matte and dynamic negotiating, pour parlering,
"deadocking" and unlocking again, in a sus-
tanned effort to solve the problem of the Adra-
tic littoral These noble men were represented
as importing their health and burning the mid
night klowatt as they strove, with might and
main, behind barred doors, to reconcile the diff
ferences between the Italians and the Jugo-
Slavs, without inAamng that raw, unready and
automatically dstrusted element public
opinion. a
Did they succeed? Not to any alarming ex-
tent In the first place, they did not reconcile
the said differences The differences seemed
rather to harden and expand as the secret nego-
tiations went on Did they avoid the mischievous
and much-feared result of in1aming public opin-
ion? The existing dangerous inflammation of
public opinion today in Italy and Jugo-Slava
gives answer. Unfortunate Fiume itself is de-
scribed as having neither worked nor slept while
the fate of the city was at issue. Enough of the
secret escaped-as it is inevitable under mod
ern conditions that it should escape to inhame
the public opinion Immediately concerned by
that always most infammatory combination of
half truths, alarming lies and muti-magnifed
fears of what may be hidden.
All the evils of open discussion have been
suffered, with none Of the soothing ernollients
and germcides supplied by the free air and
direct sunlight of full publicity If the peoples
affected had been allowed to know the worst
they would not have whipped themselves up
into panic by guessing still worse things Pub
lie opinion has been steadily appealed to- in spite
of tiled doors and sealed lips But just because
the lips of craftsmanship have been sealed the
appeal has been wholly exciting, demagogic,
limited to a narrow nationalism and unlimited
in insinuation enraging suggestion and in
furiating allegation.