New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-09

stlor to Italy from l9i8" 70 f91q PmM-
listed by Scfinuer's.
TE%HE most conspicuous quality Of
Mr.. Pages book is its personal
reticoncc. The author repre-
scented the United States at Rome
through the period Of the World War
and up to the adjournment of the
Peace Conference. He was in a posi-,
ton to know many secrets. He is
especially qualified to pass on the un
'ortunete incidents through which tn,
Nnlted States was made TO appear be
fore the world as a censor of Italy..
political morals ana & challenger OF
the justice Of Italian claims on tn
eastern shore OF the Adriatic. Nj
Rage must have been familiar wit
tAe details Of the Fiumc dispute
which destroyed Allied unity at Pari
and almost disrupted the conference
But he tolls practically nothing in hi
capacity as an outside observer. Thi
self-restraint IS disappointing to tn
reader and matorially reduces tn
value of the book as a contribute
to history.
The authors own view was manifest
II at odds with President Wilson's. NJ.
Pages main purpose is to clear Italy O
the chargc cf having entered the wa
IN espirit Of cod calculation, Of havin,
elected TO tight On the side Of the high
est bidder. He combats the idea tina,
Sa'andra's declaration, whom he be
came Premier in 1871. that Italy would
thenccforth be guided only by her
sacro ego.smo,' was a cynical admis-
SCR Of ltaly's purely mercenary point
CT view. lie believcs-and rightly
that a deeper and more creaitable mo-
I'VE inspired he italian poop Q to make
common cause with the Entente. They
fought TO liberate the u~nredeemcG pr =
lNces, to secure natural frontiers, to
complete the work Of uni6tation and
naturalization begun by Cavcur and
GaribalGi. Italy broke away from Ger
man and Austria-Hungary, Mr.. Page
holds, because her people felt that the
Allies were on the side Of liberty, and
that italian freedom was linked with
that of Eng and and Franco, not by
treaties, but in the essential nature Of
things
Italian war aims were justified. The
claim to Fiume was reas ,nable. in
view Of Itely's sacrifices. Why, then,
did Mr. Wilaon oppose it? Mr.. puge
'eals very eingerly with that question.
The only explanation the reader gets
is that "the lines which, in harmony
with the representatives Of Great
Britain and France, he the President
laid down as her frontier were those
reported by Il commission Of geo
graphic military boundary exports as
in accordance with his principles, and
these principles he felt bound by IT,
reYocably." Tho author condemns
France Tor following an anti-ltalian
policy before the conference and dur
ing if. Bw5 France was not the worst
offender. MIR. Wilson's maladroit in
tervention was needed TO bring about
aAd maintain the protructed Adriatic
utNd4Och.
A. q tribute to Italy'a good faith and
heroic efforts, what Mr.. Page has to
say is Of value, especially in this coun-
try, whore the public has been some
what prcjudlced by the Peace Confer
ence propagandists. AS q history Of
italy IN the war, the book is far less
ea'isfying. It IS discursjvo and gen
elaiized in uanner and not at all crit
zeal. There is much needless repeti-
tion. There is also q lack of balance.
Fourteen chapters are devoted to
events prior 70 ltaly'a entry to the war
itself and the peace settlement. Yet
the volume saoald he juaseo, pcr4ap
not ns a historical narrative, out a.
q tribute to ltaly's services as an ally
ana a vind.caticn Of italy's mlsappre-
ciated war policies.