The Washington herald., 1920-01-09
France Intrigues to- {
Retain Domination of
The Mediterranean

vA~S8B&SH 80 &SS810
Iory. immediately. Thls opposition
spread and the intrigue tended 10
set up against Italy the intellectual
and economic majority Of the Grece-
Yugoslsv bloc
Aspeess of Alrisfse Prssse..
Americans generally know HtfIe
about the Yugoslav aspect Of the
Adriatic.y but how much less DO they
know about the Hellenic aspect,
Frsnce's anti-ltshan moves funds-
mentaliy make for the setting UP OF
Gfeco-Yugoslav directorate over the
Adrtsfic. This would 20 far toward
diminishing the position OF q not un-
ambitious servia.
Trumbic and venezeIos have long
been seen as the directors OF this
movement Problems Of the Dode-
canese and even Of Asia Minor enter
into the substance Of such diploma
mia Somewhere In the BACKGROUND.
or somewhere I'm the foreground. the
Grand Orient OF France has q hand
on the strings. For stripped Of sll its
camouhage, the Adriatic question O.
essentially q Mediterranean question
between Italy and France.
se..i.s Attacked
Certain Italian newspapers and Par
lliamentafy elements attacked Sonnino
on the occasion of the Agirocastro
proclamation in 1917. There N sum-
cient reason TO believe that Zahsron
Orient OF France. encouraged and
possibly initiated this agitation
against Italy,s foreign minister.
But the plot TO get rid OF 6onnine
DID not end there. The Italian
-sphinr was superhcisIly viewed as
the Italian cabinet member. most
stubbornly opposed TO the direction
taken by the Greco-Yugosiav pelicy.
Such intriguecs as Caspar and Cam
polonghi came to Rome from Paris.
The snti-Italian drama had been pre-
viously rehearsed in the Partisan sa-
Ion Of Nine. Menard d'Orion. The
Hon. Lorand. an exponent Of the
French Thomas rather than of the
Belgian political thought even became
q party 70 the conspiracy. But Son.
nino clung TO oficeI
Attitude Of Socialists
Not only Frances Masonic policies.
but Frances Socialist and Clerical
politics. continually interfere with
italian rights and interests. Like a
clever politician the French foreign
once accepts the various French po-
littcal parties. as they are. and plays
all kinds Of politics. Although having
similar political groupings, Italy is
not yet sufficiently nationalized 90
manipulate her parties as successfully
as France.
Internally. much remains to be done
10 perfect Italian unity, and interna.
uonslly Italy is at the Lonesome
stage OF physical development. As a
power she is automatically consider
'ed not very useful to friends and not
livery dangerous to foes. In reality.
Italy is betvixt and between a smsfl
nation and a big nation. a position
whose very loneliness is politically
both strength and a weakness.
EquiveeaI or Insineer~.
The attitude OF the French Social
lists to all Italian revipdications has
usually been eouivocsl or insincere.
This is especially true OF Thomas and
his followers. Thomas dry mentality
OF pure Journalism" has expressed IT,
self only in general reference to Ital-
Ian problems. Under Renaudel. Thorn-
as friend. the wartime "L'Hurnanfte.
gave far less than scant justice 10
the Italian cause.
During May. IslS the. peace propo-
sal OF sixtus and the st. Jean a Mau-
rien Conference became pubIicly
known. "L'Humanite" printed two
explosive articles. attacking Italy for
the alleged failure OF peace al that
time. Such propaganda had a disas.
trous influence on the Italian position
in French Socialist opinion. The pop-
ular mind OF France was FED with
thoughts OF italian imperialism"
which did not help any mass feeling
between the two countries.
Preference Toward Germany.
After the defeat of the Thomas
group by the former Minority Social
lists. French Socialism showed a de-
cided preference for the German ele-
ment in Austria. However, Thomas
d Co. continued to adhere to the Gre
alton OF a great SlAv state with
lGreco-Slav leanings as "a protection
to France in the east" France re-
garded Austria as such an organism.
and In any plan OF Austria's destruce
ttion. France intended to play safety
first" Politics make strange COM
rades. and Thomas and Augusto
Gauvain of the "Debats" gaily
Travelled this road OF propaganda to-
gether.
Thomas was ironically favored by
time and Circumstances. The Lon
guet-CachinI group supplsnted the
lThomas-Renaudel group in French
Socialist power. The Socialist
Congress OF Paris brought about
the former minister's downfall. The
Congress, moreover. chars
Thomas with partial responsibility
for the fiasco at st. Jean a Maurien.
| For on the occasion OF that historic
conference. Thomas was an active
member OF the French government.
All these foreign intrigues have
had their natural and generally de-
siret consequence. A just solution
OF the 1talo-Yugoslav problem has
been made practically impossible.
Italo-fugoslav differences. which
originally were reconcilable. have
grown to be essentially irreconcf-
able. The tainted magic Of foreign
Interference has done its work. In
the beginning. extremists on either
side were frowned upon by their re-
spective conationals. The same ex-
tremists are today acquiring belated
popularity.
Military Equation Up.
The Italian people have already
introduced the military equation
into the consideration Of the Adri-
attic question. Italians are saving
that they have a right to secure the
essentials OF self-defense The
! Yugoslave. who fought Willingly
against Italy, are remembered Of
I than ha