The Washington herald., 1921-12-04
ARMS CONFERENCE
TEST OF STRENGTH,
SAYS DANNUNZI0
Italy's Poet w arriOr
Fears Britain Aims at
PredOminance.
by GABRIELLE D'ANNUNZIO.

by GABRIELLE D'ANNUNZIO.
ROME, Dec. 3.-Only a few days
have elapsed. but my prediction has
been realized. The men meeting
in the Washington council have
been stricken sterile and impotent.
They speak. but their words do
not spread in the living world, re-
naming tied to their own mouths
like the notices the ancient fresco
painters applied to the mouths Of
priests. They have no resonance In
the human spirit. which has become
deaf to them and unbelieving.
We poor people have masticated
too many bitter herbs not to laugh
sardonically at their attempts. But
we do not despair to find the cure
for the atroclous CONFUSION of our
deceived lips.
Sees Problems of strength.
On the Pacific table of debates
are set only. problems Of lucre:
problems of enmity, problems OF
oppression. All these are problems
of strength. They can be solved
only by strength.
1t is vain to juggle with deceit
II Is vain TO Try " SoNci
sinuous smile the bellicose tusk
of war.
What does England want, for ex-
ample? She wants to keep her
present predominance at the least
possible cost. She wants to aug
ment and consolidate her wealth
reducing the lavishness, reducing
the charges upon her privileged
position.
Briefly, she wants to lord 1t. yet
to spend less.
Here is her naked problem: De-
feated and pursued by Germany
and America in the same regions
where her mercantile supremacy
seemed henceforth affirmed. But
today another fearful adversary is
confronting her. With what art
can she elude the duel?
Want. More Territories.
But her true danger consists in
having wanted to augment beyond
measure her colonial territories,
having wanted to enlarge indef-
initely the figure of her empire as
if she had forever before her eyes
that Oceana which emerging from
the depths of the seas casas an
immense shade over depressed ma
tions.
She wants peace, yes, but only
that of the greatest Britain" she
wants to extend Pax Britannica
on all oceans and also on our Aedi-
terranean. Can her measured
speeches dissimulate this more
than leonine project?
In the same Mediterranean. In
our sea, in the fatal sea where
Greece revealed in beauty and
Rome in justice and sanctity, Eng
land proposes to match two Latin
nations. She wants to be stronger
than France-stronger than Italy
and France together. She wants
10 abolish the traditions OF the
past and disregard the necessary
Of the present. She wants to pre-
clude her ways to futurity. In our
opinion, she wants to oppose LIES
truths to history.
Points to Torches Of Revolt.
lie that a problem OF strength!
There are no speeches, either
meditated or extemporaneous;
there are no treaties, either open or
secret, which can change the formi-
dable realty. The breath OF
Anglican eloquence cannot ex-
tinguish the ardent torches OF Ire
land. India, Arabia and Egypt.
II the disputants keep up their
nocturnal sittings these torches
must enlighten their toilsome
papers and must augment the sim
| lister redness held by invisible fists
which, unlike the torches, will not
allow themselves to be put out.
After 900 years they yet remain
| deeply engraved on the mortal
stones of the world.
It is necessary that he who Is
| lust must be hallowed. Justice
without strength is impotent;
strength justiceless is tyrannical.
Must Help Justice.
We must help the just to be
strong and the strong to be just
Justice is subject to controversies
strength is recognizable without
discussion. It has not been posi-
BILE to give strength to justice be-
cause strength has contradicted
| Justice whenever she has afhrmeo
helself as just. and justice unjust.
But II consider the presence OF
Italy poor woman of God" In the
| councils of the mighty. II brings
to my mind another overseas pas
sage. That of Saint Francis land
ing in Egypt with simple cords
and an empty bag among the
Christian barons partaking OF
booty.