Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02

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Italy. They appealed to President WI
son and impiored him as "the success
sor Of George Washington, your ma
tional hero, TO realize that freedom Is
our great treasure and that we must
prefer complete extinction 70 slavery.
For Italy" they went on in their plea,
South Tyrol is merely q strip Of ter
rttory, not very dissimilar from any
other part Of that sunny country. For
us 1t Is the only German land with the
sun Of the south shining on it, pre-
cious jewel of our German fatherland."
Wilson had committed himself to CIV
ing South Tyrol to the Italians and he
could not be swayed by this plea. Be-
sides. he hoped that by satisfying the
Italians along the Bremen frontier he
could make them more amenable to O
pacific settlement In the Fiume area, a
question in which he was more direct
ly interested.
Wilson Refused Pleas
The Southern Tyrolese, when they
saw that Wilson paid no heed to them
and that Italy would not reLnquiSh her
hold on them, formed "Heimatbund''
which contained representatives of all
political parties This was a sort of
save their souls. 1t elaborated a plan
in accordance with which Tyrol would
become an independent neutral state
a buffer state between Italy and the
German-speaking countries-and the
Tyrolean Provincial Assembly was in
duced to instruct the provisional gov
eminent TO work out the details Of the
plan.
South TYol was now under italian
occupation. The occupying forces
termed themselves guests and behaved
accordingly. The commander of the
occupying forces, Gen. Pecora Gil
raldi. was reasonable: he assured the
population that he would refrain from
interfering with their schools. and that
their Official language would remain
German. with Italian added to 1t.
The arrnistice agreement left the con-
troll of the civil administration in Italy's
hands, and Rome was now making prep
arations TO annex the region entirely.
The Austrian district governors, the
highest local administrative officials
were replaced by Italian commissioners
South Tyrol was tentatively baptized
Venezia Tridentina. and the railway
stations were given Italian names
There now seemed to be only one means
Of escape. Austria should refuse u
sign the peace treaty that would de-
pr1ve her of South Tyrol.
Yet 1t was soon obvious that Austria
could undertake no such step. The
population Of Vienna was being fed by
the former enemy. The refusal TO sigr
would have meant the renewal of the
boycott. Railway trains would bt
stopped and Austria would be forced
to agree. The occupation of the entire
country by the allied forces was no
out Of the question. On September
1919. South Tyrol took final leave o.
Austria.
Nitti Understood Problem.
The government of Signor Nitti
which was then in power, showed muci
understanding Of the Tyrolean prob
lem. The prime minister recalled tn
military governor Of the occupied
province and appointed an eminen
scholar of German literature. Prof
Credaro, In his place. This meant, TO
the Tyrolese, making death as painles
as possible, and they were grateful 70
so much attention. The professor wa
kind hearted and courteous. Presently
he had the German station names re
stored and whole heartedly approves
Ct the wish Of the South Tyrolean
for extensive autonomy in the frame