Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-12
ITALY,S PACIFISM GIVES
Z EUROPE MUCH CONCERN
lessening Of Patriotic FeNor Seen lin Cordial Rela
tions With Late Foes as lenine'S
Influence Grows .
BY b. r. KOSPOTH
nj Of the Evening Public Lcdfor In Switzerland

at any rate. they have so far succeeded
in saving the country from absolute
revolution.
Nevertheless, il is impossible to get
rid of the impression that anarchy in
Italy has been stimulated by official
pacifism. The governments tacit rec
ognition of the Russian soviet has GER
tainly re-enforced the prestige of boil
shevism among the masses. who in
stinctively feel that it is impossible to
recognize Lenine's government without
recognizing the principles on which it is
based which involve the destruction of
all other existing forms Of government.
"If our government sanctions soviets
in Russia. why should we not have So
viets in Italy?" demand the Italian
workers and peasants. not without rea-
son.
But the most unfortunate and alarm
ing consequence of official pacifism in
italy is that while IL has strengthened
the prestige Of anarchy by seeking
Ienine's friendship, it has at the same
time all but destroyed anarchy's most
effective antidote-patriotism and pride
| in victory--by it's attitude toward the
yanouishcd Central Powers.
when the war ended. the italian peo =
nle we're exalted by the same intense ma =
tional enthusiasm which still animates
the French today. Denounce it rs i'm =
pcrialism or chauvinism IL you will. but
the fact remains that while this spirit OF
national exaltation lasted Italy was free
from the bolshevist fever.
National Exaltatiou Gone
Today no vestige of it is left. 1t has
vanished--by order Of the government.
It has been Systematically discredited by
the Italian statesmen in their speeches
in the press. with the most laudable in :
tentions but the most disastrous results
Signor Nitti is a pacfist. and he is
also-as his renewed advent to power
proyes-an extremely able and versa
| tile politicau. The star of pacihsm II
! in the ascendant on the political horizon
after the terrible darkness of war.
But there is kind of pacitism that
| il ant to degenerate into anti patriotism
and to create state of mind in which
people are inclined to love all countries
except their own and to become indif
ferent and almost hostile to their owr
country's interests.
When Premier Nitti undertook the
reconstruction of Italy after the war ht
found the Italian people in a state o.
national excitement which he feareC
might lead them into catastrophe ad
ventures. He wisely set about allayinl
this exaggerated nationalism. and h
succeeded-but he succeeded too well
1t is undeniable that Italy has been let
without a national ideal to counterbal
auce the international suggestion of boil
shevism.
sh,rn Contrast With France
.--.,,
, NO greater contrast Is lndSInaoH
J than that when exists between EEelhie
g Nittis policy, ana the tactics aNopte'
by tn" trenrh statesmen IN an amos
E identical situation. Like italy franc
2 has been menaccd by Red revolution
y ever since the conclusion OF peace Bu
i all the efforts of the French Govern
. ment have been concentrated on keepin
alive the peoples patriotism and ma
tional pride.
France has not been allowed TO for
a get for one moment that she is victori
$ GUS. and that Red anarchy would in