New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-23


ing notice that at the present hour
European affairs are being directed by
q new Triple Alliance composed of
Britain, France and Italy, which is, in
sense, the executor of the will of
the Paris Conference, become little
moro than memory. Lloyd George,
Millerand and Nitti are now speaking
in the names of that collective will
which was represented in the victori-
Gus association of nations of Novem-
Der, 1918.
But it is not less clear that the
new Triple Alliance is itself divided.
On most questions which have recently
arisen the French and British have
taken different stands, and it has been
left to the Italians to cast the decisive
vote. Their vote, too, has become
unfailingly against the French Thus,
ir a sense, Great Britain is once more
dominating the European councils
with the assistance of Italy.
The Italian Objectirc
The explanation of the Italian
maneuver is simple. Last year Italv
began her campaign to obtain her
Adriatic detectives by giving President
Wilson his memorable reception. His
visit to. Rome was one of the most
amazing episodes in international his
tory. But while it convinced the Ital-
lans that the President had been won
as a champion of their claims, it salts
fled the President that the Italian
people were behind his fourteen points.
When, at Paris. Mr.. Wilson directly
opposed Italian claims and emphatically
vetoed their Fiume aspiration, Italian
bitterness was without limit and the
Italians turned to the French, offer
ing them Italian backing for French
claims on the Rhine, provided France
would stand behind Italy in Adriatic
matters. Clemenceau, who was not
strongly sympathetic with Italy. re-
pulsed this proposal rather brusuuely.
with the result that Italian bitterness
as against President Wilson.
For the time being Italy had no
remedy, for the British also stood
with President Wilson, and Italian re-
sentiment was directed equally against
the three Britain, France
ane the United States-with the keen
esT anger, perhaps, reserved for the
French.
Franco-Italian Differences
In recent months, however. tho
llailans have concentrated their eff
forts upon gaining British support. and
the recent Fiume compromise accented
by Lloyd George and Mllerand but
rejected by President Wilson, was an
obvious fruit of this policy. Mean
time Italy has supported the British
against the French in the matter of
Poland IN the question of the restora-
ton of Germany and in the d;snr,s
over Constantirople.
AT bottom the Franco-Italia, d;f
ference rests upon the clash of two
clear policies. The French desire tn
see the three new Slav states-poland
o"ecno-Siovakia and Jugo- Slayia--
strong, because they see in these statas
guarantees against new German ex-
pansion and certain allies in any new
european combination. If GERMANY
attacks France again Polish allv will
be OF inestimable assistance. Moro
over without French assistance the
new slav states can hardly endure.
Inc Italians, on the other hand. are
eager TO prevent the rise on the east.
ern shore of the Adriatic of a strong
siav state. For then this would be
. !: not only in the Adriatic but in
I'M 6alksns. ~hsre Tiny Aavs- pswa.<