Evening star., 1928-04-22

NJ @~~@~0NN
of Nations, with Mussolini
rafting the saber on the
south and talking about 1888. when
Italy's voice must be heard, there Is
little tester in the Tyrolian Alps which,
the Germans mutter. Is another Alsace-
Lorraine, where language on tombstones
is ordered changed and where men are
exiled for teaching children the Ian
guage Of their grandmothers.
This little bit of territory, called
Upper Adige now by the Italians who
rule 1t, and called German South Tyrol
by Teutons, is one Of the few instances
where ethnic and nationalistic claims
were consciously ignored at the Ver-
sailles Peace Conference in the interest
Of strategic frontier Woodrow Wilson
himself admitted this. as did others, in
cluding the Italians themselves, In franz
ing the treaty of st. German. but 1t
was considered necessary to make the
Brenner Pass the northern frontier of
Italy at this point, so as to make 1t
easier for the Italians to defend them
selves against Austria-Or Germany.
Promises were made, both at Paris
nexation. that the utmost liberality
would be used in dealing with this alien
population. Word was given that there
would be nothing comparable to the
treatment of Italians who lived prior TO
the war under the HapSburgs in the
Trieste and Trentino districts.
Promises Were Kcr..
These promises were kept, it is ad-
mitted By the italian government until
the advent of Fascism. MusSolini and
the intense Italian imperialism which
! has been causing nervousness in so
many foreign Offices in Europe.
In explaining the sudden change in
| the policy of the Italian government to-
ward its new citizens. Mussolini, in an
| interview with a correspondent of the
Petit Parisien on February 81, 1926,
said:
This peril saw In South 1yrol II
was entirely German. Officials, teach
ers. clergy. post and railway men
everywhere nothing but German speech.
have set this right. On the Austrian
frontier I have introduced the zone Of
80 kilometers. within which only per-
sons with a special permit may live.
The italian language Is now obligatory
throughout the country. All the post
| and railway officials are Italians. Ital-
ian families are everywhere being settled
in 1t. We mean TO send 1000 families
of ex-SoldierS into this land al colo
families, and a further 100 are occupied
in the neighborhood. The land must
become Italian"
1t should be made clear at this point
that every one who has studied the
situation Is agreed that the portion Of
the Trentino south of the town of Sa-
lorno Is really Italian. and should have
been given back to Italy There are
some Germans there. but the country
Is predominantly Italian and Is genu-.
inely, beyond dispute. a part of the
Italian Irredenta. From Salorno north.
however. there Is not less than 90 per
cent agreement that the people are
German. essentially. in language. Gus
toms and wishes. The whole point In
giving this little bit of land was to en-
Pass, Just south of Innsbruck. their
frontier, and the only reason for this
was strategic
Prior TO the rearrangement OF terri
| tory by the treaty Of ST. Germain in
/ 1919" says news bulletin of the Ma
| tional Geographic Society. Austria
ruled over both Italian-speaking Tren-
/ tiuo and German-speaking South Tyrol.
which meet near Salorno. Since this
/ postwar treaty both territories have
been part OF Italy. and 1t is at SaIorno
that Itaiy's language problem begins"
SchoSi Appropriation.
The bulletin was occasioned by an ap-
preparation Of 5000 lire for q school
at Salorno.
"Salorno." the bulletin continues,
lies in the narrow valley of the Adige
tEtSch. under the Austrian regimel II
/ is from this river that has been derived
the new italian name for the old terri
tory OF South Tyrol-'Alto Adige'
Tn both sides the Adige valley Is
hemmed in by the lesser Alps that lie
south OF the main ranges. and these ex-
tend away in 3 tangle Of valleys and
peaks on either hand All Of these val
Salorno are inhabited by people of
Italian blood and language In the VAL
leys north of this key town that COM
municate with the Adige the population
Is almost exclusively made of German
speaking TyroleanS. This region is
roughly so miles Square-eovertng ap-
proximately the area Of Delaware-and
in 1t live ESQ 900 of Italy's new citizens
of alien blood.
"On the landscape near Salorno Is
written the record of the two cultures
1t Is so plain that traveller may read
IL from the window of his car aSs he
ward Italy's most historic mountain
gateway. the Brenner Pass. South of
Saloino low-pitehed. unbroken tile roofs
cover the houses OF the many little VIII
lagos of the valley. while from among
them rise the inevitable, picturesque
campaniles of the parish churches.
Close TO Salorno the roofs change.
Dark shingles encroaeh on the red tiles,
the slopes Steepen, and on some roofs
dormer windows appear, A few miles
beyond Salornos the first sharp church
Steeple comes into view, and the trav-
eler realizes that he has crossed the
Germanic culture.
Come in Close Contact.
While the valleys which branch of
the Adtge are inhabited In most cases I
by single racial groups, Il is in the
Adige valley itself that the two different
groups come into closest contact. Inn /
mediately around Salnrno the popula- !
ton Is mixed. but 4 few miles farther
north the Germanie character of the /;
farmers and village folk becomes strong |
ly marked Bolxano ,formerly Boxenl, |
the metropolis alike of South Tyrol and 1
Alto Adige, which lies only 10 miles /
north Of Salorno is marked rs a Ger !
man town by architecture general at /
moSphere and the appearance and dress !
OF its people Since the town has be- !
come part of italy the governing /
officialS are solely Italian, and a num- /
her OF Italian tradcSmen, professional |
men and lahorerS have moved in. Among /
the eity's 10000 inhabitants, however, /
It Ia probable more than three -fourthS /
Still speak German"
III this news story, given out by the /
e fSAANTNDhte for fhEA
with which Il makes It's Investigations
and the accuracy OF its reports, several /
striking facts pertinent 60 the present /
controversy stand cut II viii be OBJ
served for example. that despite the
much talked about Austrian tyranny |
the Italians IN that portion OF Tyrul |
south of Salorno were Still using the