Evening star., 1923-09-02
Italy's Rush Into War.

ItdlyS prccipitate action in making
war on Grcece--for. despite the official
disclaimer at Rome, the seizure of
Corfu is no LEES than war making
puts that government in decidedly
bad light before the world. There was
no emergency To require immediate
hostile demonstrations. The murders
of the Italian officials in Albania did
oot require instant reparation. JUS
dec could be done by measured means.
Che Greek government. could not es-
cape the ultimate responsibility. if il.
indeed. rested there. for the crimes. II
upon full inquiry it was proved that
the Italian officers had been slain by
Greeks, or with the connivance or
through the failure Of the Greek gov
ernment TO protect them, Athens
would have TO pay, i'll cash and in
humiliating avowals. short of going to
war.
The crime at Sara ievo, when the
archdukc of Austria Hungary was
slain on the 18th of June. 1914. was
not followed with the Austrian ulti-
nlatiIin Ia Serbia until twenty-siX days
later. The Italian note to Greece was
dispatched within forty eight hours
Of the Albanian crimes.
Why this haste of action? In 1914
there was no international organiza
tion available to settle disputes be-
tween nations, tu adjust differences, to
ameliorate national hatrcds and to
prevent wars. In 1928 there is such
un organization. its processes of dis
rnvCryand settlement are in good order.
Both Greece and Italy arc members
Of the organization. both subscribing
to its principles and its procedure 1t
would seem, therefore. that the Italian
action was FASTENED distinctly in- order
20 avoid reference of the question to
the league of nations to prevent inter
vention, possibly TO accomplish an ag
>grcsSion before the mediatory mech
anism of the league could be put into
action.
II is we'll understood that in 1914
Germany and Austria did not desire
that Serbia should yield TO the de-
prcferrinE that the little government
should withhold full compliance in
nrder that the grand attack might be
made upon France and Russia. There
is, indeed, no lack of suspicion that
the crime at Serajevo was planted"
i'm order that the great assault might
he made. For "the day" had come for
the partners to strike.
There is no hint or suspicion now
that the crime in Albania was expect
ed, or that Italy had any reason to
fear it. But the almost instant appeal
TO arms, prefaced by only the briefest
period of demand, suggests that the
occasion was seized for d move that,
II is we'll known. has been Italy's de-
sire for long time, occupation of the
eastern side of the Adriatic.
This may be entirely unwarranted.
Italy may have acted in hot temper.
without due consideration of her re-
sponsibilities as a member of the
! league of nations. But the circum-
stances give color to the thought that
the blood of the boundary officers is
| not such shocking sight to the
Italian eyes as the furious demonstra-
ton of outraged national honor sug
igests.
Territorial aggressions that have
heen effected are not easily remedied.
Seizures that have been accomplished
are more likely to endure than those
that are merely threatened Italy is
in Corfu, and, if the dispatches are
correct, in other Greek places also by
this time. and unless history is re-
Iversed Italy will remain there a long
time, perhaps long after the orderly
processes have been conducted to the
point of determining who killed the
victims in Albania and who is to
blame for the crime.