The New York herald., 1922-09-03

et1tsonS ConccTisn0 the War Plot" Of
1si4 and NeU Light On fhe Triple
Alliance"
A LII political Europe, and not
~ alone the Italian public, is
looking forward to the pubh-
cation Of the Memoirs" of Giovanni
Giolitti, which is promised for Sep
tember. The most sensational of the
revelations" which these confessions
and "reminiscences of Italy's famous
Premier win contain relates to the
war plot" of 1914; in connection
with which Gioitu has already fur
nished some damaging evidence
against the diplomats of the Central
Powers. The late Marquis ai San
Giuliano, Giolitti's Minister of For
eign Affairs, alleged in 1914 that
Italy had been approached with a
view to determining her attitude in
the event Of European war. and
that only her threat to break from
the Triple Alliance by refusing to
participate in q war of offense pre-
vented hostilities from opening q
year earlier than they did. There
are many points of obscurity still re-
naming in this whole matter OF the
triangular arrangement between
Italy, Germany and Austria. Since
Giolitti, as a many times Italian Pre-
mier, whose political life covers yir-
tually the whole period between 1870
and 1914, is one Of the few living
men in possession of all the facts in
these puzzling intrigues, every word
he drops will be scanned and CLOSED
for possible indiscretions.
AS a matter of fact. certain por-
tions of Giolitti's text have been ac-
cessible, in one form or another, for
some time, and we have ourselves
been privileged to read the Memoirs
down to the close of the Italo- Turk
tsh war. One does not have to ar
rive at the exciting preliminaries of
the world war before getting a sense
of the perilousness of the game which
the diplomats were playing during all
those twenty years that may be called
the years Of preparation for the great
debacie Of 1914. Here was the peace
of the world being tossed about by a
dozen or more men, each Of whom
knew that a tumble would entail un-
beard Of consequences. In all of
them was the feeling that eventually
the bali must drop. but desire at
the same time not to be the one to
drop it. In this particular Giolitti has
advantage over most Of those who
are now writing their "reminiscences
to explain just how it all happened.
Giolitti did not tumble the bah. On
many occasions he threatened TO do
so. He was forever capitalizing the
others. But in the end he comes out
with his record clean. Not only did
Giolitti not will the war; he would
have nothing to do with it after II
came on. This latter attitude cost
him three years Of atrocious un-
popularity In Italy and the other
allied countries Was any man dur
ing the years 1915-191S as much be-
rated as the Sage of Cuneo." But
nnpopularity had no terrors for a
man who had played the successful
political game Giolitti has played for
more than fifty years. In 1919 he
~came back" to help clean up "a
mess that others had made" In
spite OF his age and his "war record
he has been the one efficient man in
1taiy's reconstruction. That is why
q certain tone OF exultance is notice.
able in these Memoirs" OF a retir-
ing octogenarian. Giolitti has the
satisfaction OF feeling that he has al
ways been right. without ever budg-
Ing an inch on his principles.
A second thrill which the same por-
ton Of the Memoirs" furnished US
is the thrill we get from most italian
historical and political writing. the
thrill which Mr.. Lansing, for In
stance. got from the honesty of Mr.
Orlando at Versailles. The Italians,
who have been in Europe as long as
anybody else. know that politics has
always been the art or fooling the
plain, man, and they know that If.
with the course Of the centuries, that