Evening star., 1924-01-20
u: S. Backing of Engla Would Force
France to Back Down, Says Nitti OF Italy

deficit will be collected from Ger
many. She has ruined Germany, and
at the same time collected nothing.
NJ >reover, she has ruined herself
with vain expectations. The two
countries have destroyed each other"
"What should America do about it?"
know the facts. At present the
American people are the poorest in
formed of any in the world concern
ing Europe. Part of your public
opinion has an honest and sincere
regard for France, which it formed
during the war; part Is deluded by
propaganda.
U. s. Hard to Cnderstand.
TT is nearly as difficult for Euro
peans to understand American poll
tics as 1t is for Americans to un-
derstand Europe. We have had to
learn that your President and am
bassadors had no power to make
treaties. 1t has been difficult for us
to understand that since each state
elects two senator's. the numerous
but less densely populated western
and middle states rule the Senate"
Your excellency understands
American politics like an timer"
L interrupted. At which Sisnor Nitti
laughed so heartily that his cigar
cite dropped to the floor.
YES" he chuckIed, II was there
buying munitions. And / know that
1t was these western states which
said: We can do without Europe.
to
ing country This is all changing
now, for these agricultural states find
that they must export. I understand
that about 100000 people have mi
grated from the country to the cities
in recent years. This is grave
economic situation and proves that
agriculture does not pay. The Euro
pean market is lost.
Americas two best customers be-
fore the war were Germany and Eng
land Germany is gone now. The
English market is crippled, because
English industry depends upon Ger
many.
Your Asiatic commerce is a myth.
America sells more to little Holland
than she does to India, China and
Japan combined. South America is
equally impossible. since the prosper
ity of that continent is dependent
upon the export of her raw materials
to Europe"
What do you think OF our present
policy toward Europe?" 1 asked.
Blames America.
You are to blame for Europe's
mess
While he waited for this to sink
| in, Signor Nitti lit his fifth cigarette,
and then proceeded to answer my un-
! spoken question:
Because of your ignorance of Eu-
rope and your failure to play strong
hand at the conference table, but also
| because the armistice was not peace
! of force mcclure, but peace of poll
| ties. The German front crumbled
because of Wilson's notes maintain
| ing that the allies were not fighting
,, the German people, but only their
rulers. Today, who is France fight
ing? The German people, is she not?
| You Americans did not keep your
word"
| But what should the United States
| do today" / asked again.
That is not for me to say. L am
| an Italian and / cannot advise you.
! You would resent my suggestions.
Americans can be led, not driven.
! But am confident that you will find
yourselves. All that l ask is that
! you know the facts.
America is q common sense coun-
! try. There are two kinds of impe-
; rialism: imperialism of the intellect
| and imperialism of Ia bette (accord-
! ing' to free translation, 'boneheado.
! America is ruled by the first"
| Although Signor Nitti refused to
give his personal opinion on Ameri-
can policy toward Europe. during the
course of our further conversation,
he made this significant statement:
I'VE Italians believe that England
is the only country which has made
\ an honest attempt to re-establish
peace in Europe. She has to have
peace, for upon peace rests her deli
cate commercial system" And then
! inadvertently he let slip what seemed
to be the crux of his advice: eff
! America would back England, France
would back down.