Evening star., 1928-04-22

country In the world. Austria DefoIe
the war was almost the opposite ex-
treme. There was plenty Of despottsm
and plenty of tyranny within the Aus
trian empire. but most Of 1t was local.
So 1t happened that before the var
Tyrol was governed very largely by Ty-
roleans, so far as most Of the little con-
facts between governments and peoples
are concerned. Now every contact the
Tyrolean peasant or villager has Is with
officials sent by Rome 10 his commit
nifty. In most cases these officials CAL
not speak a word OF German. Ines are
all Italians. Their language Is the ON
cial language. and everything must be
in Italian, from the court proceedings
I'D and down. Out of this situatic3
alone, even II the Fascist regime we're
doing its utmost to please its new citi-
zens and win them over. there would
be enough irritation TO cause rebellion
were there any chance Of 1t succeeding.
For 1t must be remembered that the
Fascist officials who are sent to this
little German community have had
some training which would scarcely be
calculated to increase their conciliatory
powers or TO tend toward soft language.
For years in Italy the fiery Fascist
youths have been beating up their
brother Italians on the streets IL they
forgot TO remove their hats when pro-
cessions of Fascists passed. They have
been contributing 10 what has pretty
nearly been a reign of terror.
Done Lots Of GoOi.
This Is not written In criticism Of
what has been done IN Italy TO establish
and make secure the MussoIini regime
There are plenty who contend that it
was necessary. It is fair TO say that,
whatever may be the objection to II.
the Fascist regime has done a lot Of
good. Economically ii has worked
wonders.
But the point is that this ruthless
compelling Of people to do what the
government desires is one thing in italy
proper. where whatever is done Is done
by Italians to Italians. It Is quite an
astic FaScists. picked. it 50 happens.
from the far south Of Italy. are sent into
this German territory up in the Alps
TO carry out MuSSolini's command 20
make the land Italian.
As soon as these Fascist officials took
charge there began at once a series Of
incidents which were taken I'D by the
German papers in Innsbruck. Just q
few miles north of Brenner Pass. and
which had been the capital OF Tyrol
before the war. They were also taken
up by the German papers in Vienna and
to lesser degree in Germany. Feeling
famed up so that when Emilio Bodrero,
undersecretary Of education for the
italian government, attempted 70 make
a speech in Vienna November 6. 1926.
there were such disorders that diplo-
mats from every country fastened 20
49, a
seriousness of the situation. Actually
the mob action on that occasion vas
from anger because Of the dissolution
By the Italian government OF three as
sociations in South Tyrol-the German
Association. the German Popular Party
and the GymnaStic Association.
Feeling ran high again IN February.
1927. when DR.. holden was deported
without legal proceedings. according 10
the Neue Freie PreSse, to the Lipare
Islands. His crime was that he had IN
structed children in the German Ian
guage. That newspaper stated that his
relatives we're not permitted 70 comxnu-
nicate with him after his exile. Feeling
was the higher because Nolden's anceS-
tors had lived in Salorno for 200 years.
Tyranny Attacked.
Before the whole civilized world"
said the Neue Freie PTeSSe In comment
ing on this. after recalling earlier Ttal-
ian promises that there would be no
tyranny over the new citizens and that
the German language would be per
mitted. we make . strong protest
against this new eneroachment Of the
Italian administration. and expect that
all civilized nations will take the neces-
Sary measures TO effect change"
We win make them Italians" said
Mussolini to the Chamber Of Deputies
in February. 1926. because they are
Italians geographically and historically.
The Brenner frontier was aSSuredly. aS
has been said marked out from the GrSt
by the hand Of God. The Germans n
Upper Adige' are not national minor
ity' but an clinical remnant"
The Germans OF South Tyrol. re-
piled the universities Of Vienna and
Innsbruck. have been settled In the
land for more than 1900 years They
had formed an organised community
there long before an Italian nation, IN
the later sense Of the world. came into
existence. The fact that the Roman
empire 1900 years ago included South
Tyrol cannot give the kingdom Of Italy.
in the nineteenth century,
any historical title to possess IL. The
BrenneT Pass has never formed from
tier between nations or between states.
Scenery and people are the same, north
and south. and the Erenner watershed
has always connected and not divided
them Even the military genius OF Ma
poleon. Ike that OF Rome. fixed the
strategic frontier Of Italy far to the
south"
Much Of the resentment is caused By
the language difficults--the inSiStancs
of Italy upon = very rapid change OF
the language Of these TeutonS from
German 70 italian. The height oi this
was reached when. after
names OF towns. streets, directions. etc.
were ordered to De in Italian. II was
ordered that tomhStoneS should bear
suage. At first some everEealouS on
Gals sent up frcm south Italy set 10
work to compel changing Of the word
ing on existing torahStCneS into the
Italian language, This provoked such .
storm that Rome FASTENED 10 direct that
the tombstone order should not he con-
Sidered retroactive,
Sees Harder Pressure.
INFLAMMATION Of Dead South TyrO-
leSe" was headline in the RelchSp0St
II November 10, 1897
On November 3, 1927. when the Iyvo-
leSs Diet convened at Innsbruck Gov
Stumps said. In part
We had hoped IN the Spring that the
national fate OF the Germans IN South
ryrol might become more oearanae. but
instead We note that harder pressure
han eyer Is hro0ght 70 bear on them
iuring The last weeks For nine years
Ne have been watching the events IN
south Tyrol, and We all know how often
Ne were Obliged 70 complain Of them.
And there SeenNS 70 be no end to them
Matters seem To grow more and naoFe
hopeless for cur brethren OF the anas
ace. and the present situation IA such
hat It Is impossible 20 find anything
iSe Il In anS other European minority
These who are responsible for the
progress Of European culture realise
roge and more that the eondltiolas eS-
kta - =