New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-25
GiohtH and the Liberals
By Franz II. Siimonds

, litti, like all Italians, was asking "Why
not Fiume?"
Now, few liberals will disagree that
the Presidents stand in the matter of
Dalmatia, if not of Fiume, was right
that even in the case of Fiume there
was much to be said for his position.
Italian ambitions in the Adriatic can
not appeal to the liberals, who criticise
the treaties of the Paris Conference
for their failure to conform to the
fourteen points. Yet the whole Italian
course at Paris was more or less de-
termined by the Gioltti criticism. Or
lando and Sonnino were afraid to come
home with treaty which did not in
clude Fiume. So they finally failed
and quit.
CiO1itti Gains
But France had been the stumbling
block for the Italians at Paris. If
Clemenceau had supported Orlando in
the Adrlatic Orlando would have stood
with Clemenceau on the Rhine-Latin
against AngloSaxon. Since France
refused, Italian policy, always directed
at getting Fiume and keeping DaIma-
tia, sought 20 weaken French policy at
every point, and naturally fell in with
every British move.
The thing has happened often enough
in machine politics that the party out
of power makes a bid for reform"
support by adopting the most extreme
moral program. Since all the sue
cessors of Giolitti from 1914 onward
failed to get Fiume outright, Giolitti's
position grew stronger and stronger at
home; meantime Italian opposition to
France became more and more embar
RAISING to the French. When France
occupied Frankfort Italian statesmen
Joined the British in expressions of
horror, although Italy was contem-
plating permanent occupation of Jugo-
siav territory and the French stay in
Frankfort was bound to be short.
A Practical Nom
Finally Giolitti came into power and,
being practical man, went to confer
ence with Millerand, and out of the
conference energies Tot o declaration
that Giolitti has persuaded Millerand
OF the moral duty of France to consent
to the modification and revision of the
Treaty Of Versailles. Nothing Of the
sort. A statement that France recog-
nizes Italy's right to settle her Adriatic
problems with Jugo-Slavia direct, q
pretty euphemism for saying France
WILL mind her own business in the
Adrlatic and look the other way, if
necessary. At the same time the off,
cial report speaks Of Franeo.Isalian
alliance, Of Italian recognition Of the
Treaty Of Versailles as immutable, and
it may be safely deduced that il France
gUes across the Rhine again Italian
eyea will be fixed in the opposite d..
sectien and there will be cotton in
Italian ears.
AS for Giolitti, he has got Fiume, or
Will have it shortly, and he Is going
TO keep Dalmatia, as the Treaty of
London promised, although the popu-
latien Of tho northern half Of Dslmatis
is far more slsv than that of London
10 Beitish. As for the British atti-
tude, already the Italian papers have
announced that Lloyd George mani
Tested great sympathy with the italian
point Of view when hs talked with
Giolitti and that no showed even
greater sympathy when he talked with
Nitti-how great may be gathered from
the fact that N!tti supported George on
ell test questions with France. Without
suggessing that anything wsa put, In
WHITING, u may be- dsduesd that ssergs
ise Natti anasgstapa shas hin aeuasry,
sguatd ssss st.sss s,ss