Evening star., 1928-06-08
Reports Are Conflicting.
News of Trouble Between Italy
and Jugoslavia Inconsistent.

To The Editor OF The Star:
Within the last few days there have
reached America two inconsistent and
conflicting reports about the trouble
between Italians and their Jugoslav
antagonists. One version must. of
course be wrong--a deliberate misstate-
ment of facts, 1 should say-and even
the average American reader, the reader
not particularly concerned in European
politics, must be led by ordinary intelli-
gence to fair decision as to which
version lacks convincing evidence.
Italy and Jugoslavia are waiting for
the ratification of the Nettuno agree
ment that looks to a solution Of mutual
difficulties, made with generous conces-
Sions from the italian standpoint and
voluntarily conceded by Jugoslavia.
1t is not difficult to understand that
any hostile demonstration on either
side would defer the ratification OF the
agreement nor is it conceivable to any
one who knows Mussolini'S stern meth
ords that Fascist officials would presume
to insult the representatives of a
friendly state whose acquiescence it has
required all of ii Duce'S wisdom and
tact to win over What would happen
to Avenanti If he actually had ha-
rangued the crowd at Zara, saying,
Enough OF that liserable land. Jugo-
slavia We shall soon overrun it,? The
question suggests the fate of Matteotti.
The statement that an oath was read
from the altar sof the cathedral. by
which all swore to fight for the liberia
ton Of Dalmatia. we shall pass by with
out comment
The Jugoslav consul Simich, we are
told. was ordered to cease conVersing in
the streets of cara in his barbarian
language" Italian was the only Ian
guage permitted there.
This reminds me Of an article in the
Baltimore Sun several months ago,
claiming that the kindly peasants" of
the south Tyrol were not allowed to
read the Bible in their own language.
happened to be III Rome shortly after
this appeared. when MuSSOlini made his
speech in the Chamber of Deputies In
answer to the charge of the AustrianS
about Fascist atrocities" in this prov
ince of Bolzano, now one of the 81
provinces of the Kingdom of Italy.
After referring to the Is journals in the
ince. he closed with these words-and
they are an absolutely accurate tranSla-
ton
Since our great tolerance has been
wrongly interpreted. this is the last
warning. II the anti-Italian campaign
beyond the Brenner continues. the fate
of all these publications in a foreign
language will be sealed and they will be
suppressed"
The other account of the recent hos
tile demonstrations remains, then. to be
discussed. Students of JugoSlav organ
iZationS protested against the ratitica-
ton OF the Nettuno agreement by at
tackS upon Italians in Belgrade Both
sides agree as to this. and also as to the
fact that the riots were suppressed by
the police of Belgrade without discrimi-
nation. The officials of Belgrade were
quite equal 20 the emergency. showed no
eniency to the offending JugoSlav stu
dents in no way shared the attitude of
the Austrian Innsbruck University stu
dents who sent the message. We wish
you success in the fight against the
common enemy"
What. then. Is the explanation of
these attacks-and there is no dispute
on this point-by the JugoslavS upon
the Italians? The answer is complex,
but not difficult to understand. First
Of all. Austrian propaganda never stops,
and because OF their peculiar tempera-
ment and because of past subservience
to Austria many of the mixed popula-
ton of the present Jugoslav state are
especially susceptible TO this tireiess
propaganda. Also Russia Is interested.
because harmony between Jugoslavia
and Italy would destroy her hopes of
regaining her own influence in the Ba'-
kanS and. finally. IL the Adriatic QHles-
ton were peacefully settled for Italy.
there would be more opportunity, To the
distress of other nations. for considera-
ton of the colonial problem, another of
Italy's problems TO which We might
show more understanding and indul-
gence, having no reason for the oppoSi-
ton displayed by other countries that
consider their interests involved
E. LENORE SHAW.