The Washington times., 1934-02-24


booker, International NetDS Ser
Uice's brilliant foreign CORE
Spondent, in the twelfth article of
his series "WHl War Conner"
Knickerbocker UisitS Trieste. near
the Austrian border, and learns
tDhy Italy does not tDGnt Germany
to haze Austria. Italy has ordered
q crack motorized army corps,
capable OF moUing at 30 miles an
hour Dith all equipment, from
Verona to Bolsdno, tUittin striking
distance of the Austrian trontierD
BY Fl. r. KICKERBOCKER
International News Service Staff
Correspondent
(COpyright, 1894, by International News
Service. Reproduction in whole or
part fOrbidden.)
TRIESTE, Feb. 24.-ThiS city is
10 miles as the crow flies, or 100
miles by road, from the border OF
Austria. Bombing airplanes could
reach it from the present Austrian
border in half an hour.
A motorized division could reach
1t, If no resistance were offered, in
six hours. This is one reason
why Italy does not want Germany
to have Austria.
Next door is the next reason
why Italy does not want Germany
to have Austria. The South Tyrol,
redeemed" by Italy from Austria
after the war, contains 100000
Germans. Five years ago the
italian government announced
that the South Tyrol had been
completely Italianized. But the
100000 Germans are still Ger
mans.
Guard Against NaZiS
Trieste and South Tyrol make
together one big reason why it is
impossible to prophesy positively
that war will not come in this
cart of Europe.
Today 10000 Italian soldiers are
under arms in Bolzano, chief city
OF the South Tyrol. They are
there to keep the Nazis from TAX
ing Austria" Nevertheless cool
appraisal of the possibilities makes
It seem to an outside observer I'M
likely that war will come, even if
Austria does Go Nazi."
Yet italy is worried now as
never before since the war. Until
Hitler came to power in Germany
the Italian possession OF the
provinces she took from Austria
seemed as secure as her posses
sion Of any part Of her land.
On the other side Of the Bren-
ner pass was only little Austria, a
nation of seven million with an
army of 10000. Italy felt safer
than she had felt in centuries.
The Austro-Hungarian empire
with it's 81 million inhabitants, its
ambitious monarchy, its limitless
desire for territorial expansion,
had always threatened Italy.
When the breakup of that en-
pire came and left tiny Austria,
Q comfortable little pillow between
Italy and the German Reich, Italy
felt the solution was ideal.
Today, in place of the Austro-
Hungarian empire of 81 million
ambitious but nevertheless easy
going Hapsburg subjects, there is
about to appear on the northern
frontier Of Italy a nation of u
million German NaZis who may
be a number Of things but not
easy-going.
The South Tyrol would be one
step away from the Nazi Tyrol.
Trieste would be one hop from
bhe border.
Best on the Adriatic.
This port was Italy's chief prize
from the war. Propaganda to bring
italy into the war on the side of
the Allies showed an Italian SOL
der peering over the trenches,
with his bayonet casting shadow
that led to the port of Trieste. It
Is a prize worth coVeting.
Along the shallow half-moon of
Its harbor banks the wharves Of
Trieste are numerous enough to
house the steamships of modern
armada. Electric cranes, railway
terminals, unloading devices OF
the most efficient variety make
Trieste the best equipped port on
the Adriatic.
Trieste is half as far from
Bavaria as Bavaria is from Ham
burg. Freight charges for all the
lower third Of Germany would
be cheaper via Trieste than via
Germany'S North Sea ports.
Tomorrow Germany, the greater
Germany, a Germany stronger
than ever before, may be within
one short step of Trieste.
That, in nutshell, Is one Of
the reasons for "all the excite
ment about Austria" It is at any
rate one of the chief reasons for
the Italian excitement.
Italy is worried enough to have
ordered her crack army corps, a
motorized corps capable of moving
at 80 miles an hour with all equip
ment, from Verona to Bolzano,
within striking distance Of the
Austrian frontier. The new mill
tary roads could carry the 10000
men Of the crack corps over the
Bremen in a nights march.
Monday, Knickerbocker presents
the first inStallment of an inter-
Uiew NTH Premier MuSSolini, of
ItnLU. in 1Dhich MuSSolini oiUeS his