South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-17

VIENNA. Nov The govern
nent thus Tar has refused 20 make
public the secret agreement bv
which Dr.. Kari Eeuucr. then cham
cellor, agreed % give % Italy many
valuable works cf art. manuscripts
md historic relics not provided for
surrender iu the treaty OF So. Ger
main. despite demands by art assoc
cations IN Influential persons Tor
hat information.
The history OF the matter IS in
reresting and tire press has been abIo
% learn from authoritative sources
come q it, details While the
suarded admissions of the govern
ment generally are phr3ssd IN the
future tense as % the delivery ~
hese articles, as a matter OF fact
Rat are all understood 90 be now
m italian possession.
Their seizure began when the Ital-
an armistice commission under
Cen. Segre, first arrived I'm Vienna in
february OF !ast year. the c0nten-
ion OF the commissioners being that
under the treaty Of the war OF 1866
-hese treasures should long since
have been delivered Among the
articles taken BY Gen. SeEre We're
he famous tapestries OF Montua
and as regards them the Austriaus
conceded title and assisted in their
delivery
Then began the removal of pic
.ures from the HOfmuseum and
Academy OF Fine Arts which had
been brought 10 Vienna m 1916 and
SOS. These had been stored in "a
church IN Venice. having been col
iected from many churches IN the
Venetian territory. IL was done 10y
order of Francis T. then sovc reign of
Venice which was at that time q
part or the Austrian empire. The
Austrians bring forward q supple
mentary treaty 20 that Of 1866 re-
garding these objects. intended 10
clear title. They render this clause
AS follows. Austria viii keep
fgardera} the pictures exported in
1898 which his majesty the emperor
sometime ago gave 90 the Academy
Of Fine Arts in Vienna and 90 other
galleries in the empire"
II ls around the word 'gardera'
he Italians center their argument
for possession, cOntending fl means
take AZ custody or for safekeep-
ing" not possession or fit. The
Austrians say they have documents
In the state archives TO show that ia
return the emperor gave 90 italy
presents OF art works far IN excess
OF value to those in controversy
among them being the priceless col
fections ManfT-in and Bossl.
Tho Italians also took from the
National library or other places adj
didonaI treasures such as auto
graphs, musical books and three
manuscripts worth several millions
OF dollars one or which, THE Gen
ssis of Vienna. Is said 10 DC the most
valuable hate Roman manuscript In
existence.
With All these objects safe in
Tta1y, when the peace conference
began In Paris the Italians advanced
further claims for works OF art
from. Austria. demanding the pick
Of pictures from the National gal
'ery IN Vienna and virtually all the
brOnZes and statues made in italy
~ that ever were in italy. The OBJ
fects thus covered were estimated TO
be worth about 1900. 00O0 900 gold
francs.
Their claims were rejected. how
ever. by the conference and then
began the italian effort TO effect a
special treaty with Austria 20 OBJ
tain her end. The negotiations
proceeded until this spring when
Dr. Renner finally signed 10 on the
occasion OF his Italian visit Under
KS term Gen. SeEre's seizures are
iegalized and a large number of
valuable objects are coded IN addi-
lion
The most important are the reIi-
uary of Cardinal Bessari0ne and
The Gross OF St Theodore. The first
named is remarkable specimen of
.he Venetian gothic gOldsmiths art
~ the 18th century and the other a