The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-07
Mr.. Wilson at Rome.

In no country has the president met
with a more cordial welcome than in
Italy, and in none has he more difficult
problems to take up in the intimate talks
by which he is trying TO clear the ground
for the peace conference. The close ties
between the two countries formed by the
great flow Of Italians to the United
States and the return Of many of them
imbued with not a few American ideas
would in any case insure for the presi-
dent of the United States an exuberant
popular welcome. But to this has been
added the solicitude with which our gov
eminent has sought 10 relieve the great
economic needs of Italy which had
brought the people to the verge of fam
inc. There can be no question as to the
sincerity or the warmth of the reception
of Mr. Wilson at Rome and on the way.
Nor need we distinguish here between
the government and the people, for Pre-
mier Orlando and his associates have the
highest esteem for the president and for
his principles, even If the application of
the principles comes hard Like Ger
many, Italy has been struggling toward
unity against the opposition of neighbor-
ing powers which wished it kept weak
and divided, and both the temptation and
the danger Of the German precedent can
be appreciated II was on this theme
that Mr.. Wilson indirectly touched in
holding up the example as one to be
avoided: Il have been rejecting in these
recent days about a colossal blunder
which has been made--the blunder of
force by the central empires. If Ger
many had waited single generation she
would have had the commercial empire
of the world. She was not willing TO
conquer by SKILL by enterprise, by com
to conquer the world by arms and the
world will always acclaim the fact that
it is impossible to conquer by arms, that
the only thing that conquers it is the sort
of service which can be rendered In trade,
in intercourse, in friendship, and that
there is no conquering power which can
suppress the freedom of the human spir-
IT,"
Of this assertion as good proof as any
can be found in the splendid story Of
Italian civilization, and the best thought
in Italy has preferred the ideals of MAJ
zini to the, ideals of Bismarck. In Italy,
itself there is strong opposition to the
carrying out of policy which would ere
ate Balkan problem as menscing as the
one which the war made it possible TO
end In seeking the overthrow and break
up of the Hapsburg empire Italy was
well within its rights, for it had suffered
and was still suffering from Austrian OPP
preston But when this war aim has
been realized, when both of the great EN-.
pires which threatened its security have
collapsed, a new situation is created. To
force under Italian rule population now
itself seeking liberty would be to repeat
the fatal blunder of Bismarck in taking
Alsace Lorraine in 1871 Italy needs
peace, wants peace; its great concern for
long time to come must be industry
and the education Of a talented but in
great part illiterate people, So strongly
is this felt that the tempting opportuni-
ties for imperial aggression which the
war has made have from the beginning
had scant sympathy from the people. If
Italy and France, which the destruction
of Germany and Russia would leave the
two great military powers of Europe are
to abandon an Imperialism which is al
ready making rivalry between them it
must be by equal and well-studied con-
cessions promoting the secnritv and tina