The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-31

was assigned to France following the first
abdication of Napoleon; this half was not
actually taken from France until after
Waterloo.
AS between the German people and their
western neighbors, them the recent settle
ment accepts the settlement of a century
ago except as to 1000 square miles and
approximately three-quarters Of a million
of people. AS to these 1t leaves the decision
with the people themselves, and the districts
adjoining the Belgian frontiers have already
accepted the Belgian nationality, while those
adjoining the French have still to vote four
teen years hence.
Insignificant Changes in Frontiers At
feceed Since 1915.
Looking now to the frontiers between Italy
and France and recalling that century ago
it was Sardinia, not Italy which touched
France, one must note a very considerable
change from the situation recognized a CEN
tury ago. France has extended her frontiers
to the Alps, annexing Savoy and Nice, with
the major fraction of the old principality of
the Grimaldi, the lesser portion of which
still endures in the principally of Monaco
But this change the result, not of war
between the French and Italians. but of
amicabe agreement following French as
sistance In liberating Italy Moreover, the
inhabitants are French; sixty years ago
they decided almost unanimously for the
French association and both peoples have
accepted the decision as final.
We bound to recognize, then. that the
decisions of 1915. as far as the territorial
adjustments between the western nations
of Europe We're concerned, has stood the
test of a hundred years, and the sole
changes cue to war do not exceed four hun
dred square miles, with the possible increase
to slightly more than a thousand if the
Sarre decides later to separate from Ger
many.
Looking to the north of Europe it will
be that Norway and Sweden, joined in
1915 to reimburse the Swedes for the loss
of Finland, assigned to Russia, have sepa-
rated, but so far the rest of the world is
concerned their frontiers remain the same.
AS to Denmark there has been q greater
change. By the Austro- Prussian in
the middle of the last century Denmark
lost all of Schleswig- Holstein. At Paris a
year ago two plebiscte areas were created
in the regions of Schleswig, where the
Danes ware an important element; in one
Of these the vote has already been for Den
mark, in the other for Germany. Thus an
injustice of 1916 has been fairly remedied
in 1919. In addition, the island of Heligo-
land British in 1915, has passed by private
sale from Britain to Germany in the last
century, and the new treaty does not
modify this circumstance.
We may say, then, in sum that in 1915
the conquerors of Napoleon gave to west
ern Europe frontiers which have peen but
little modified since. The annexation of
Alsace- Lorraine by Germany in 1870 has
been annulled, and looking at the existing
boundaries the statesmen of the Vienna
gathering would detect but little inodifca-
ton as between nationalites despite the
colossal transformations within thu limits
of the several peoples.
Important Changes Resulting from the
War in Eastern and Southern Europe.
Looking to the east and south of Europe
however. we are bound to recognize at once
the revolutionary character of the changes
which are marked by the frontiers of 1920
as contrgted with those of 1915 In fact,
three great empires have fallen, tine Russian
Austrian and Turkish, while at the expense
Of the German and Austrian kingdoms of
hundred years ago Poland has been restored
A century ago Turkey still held the line OF
the Save, the Danube. the TTansylvanian
Alps and the Pruth. BY the terms Of the
Vienna settlement Russian advance across
the Dniester in 1912 was confirmed, while
Austria occupied all of the region between
the Bug and the Isonzo out Of which so
many States have now been fashioned
But Analysing the changes of century
we shall see that they correspond to certain
very clear historical circumstances. We
have first to consider the italian phase. The
Congress Of Vienna denied to Italy any
shadow of unity, even that illusory fraction
residing In Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy.