Italy and the Alliance.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16506, 25 April 1919, Page 6

Italy and the Alliance.

It comes as something of a shock, after hearing Mr Lloyd George's reassuring statement as to the success of the Allies and America in coming to an agreement upon the terms of peace, to receive such reports of serious dissensions between America and Italy as figure in to-day's news. The "Big "Four" are keeping their own counsel, and no unofficial report can be accepted without large reservations, but the stories of a deadlock over tho Adriatic settlement could not become current unless there were at least a chance that Italy could stand firm in her demand for her pound of flesh under the secret Treaty that was the condition of her entrance into the war against the Central Powers. That Treaty, which contained many clauses, guaranteeing Italy a general expansion in the Mediterranean and the recovery of the Trentino, provided also for the transfer to Italy of Istria and almost the whole of tho Dalmatian Peninsula and the neighbouring islands. At tho time the demands of Italy appeared to be reasonable enough in some respects, because Italy was entitled to the Trentino and to security in the Adriatic against Austria. It was essential that Italy should join the Entente, and Italy took very full advantage of her position. The conditions are utterly changed today. Germany is crushed, the Austrian Empiro has ceased to exist, there is no Adriatic danger to trouble Italy, and, abovo all, the Southern Slavs, always anxious to throw off the Austrian yoke, have becoino a new State with the encouragement and to tho applause of France, Britain, and America. But tho sccret Treaty exists— socret, of course, no longer—and if Italy stands firm it is difficult to know what will happen. Outside Italy there are few people who do not feel strongly that the Treaty should be abandoned. Practically all tho leading British newspapers havo expressed this feeling very clearly, and it may be taken for granted that Mr "Wilson's view—that tho Treaty claims should be given up by Italy and the rights of Ju^o-Slavia

recognised to the full—is thoroughly endorsed by the British people and supported by the British Government. In a spcech on Juno 20th last which has attracted curiouslv little notice, Mr Balfour revealed the embarrassment of the Government over this Treaty. A member of the House had said that the Treaty would be disapproved by any public meeting in England, and Mr Balfour did not deny this. "But," lie added, "if you want to judge the " Treaty rightly remember the eircum- " stances under which it was made, and "'ask the people whether if they had "been responsible for the conduct of "affairs they would have hesitated to " come to arrangements of that kind." l\lr Balfour did not attempt to defend Italy's claims or the propriety of Italian insistence upon them, and privately no doubt, he feels what most people privately feel concerning them. As to the position that would arise when the time came for arranging peace, he expressed the hope that a direct conflict of desires.would not arise, but lie indicated that- Britain would stand by her pledges. Tti will be deplorable if Italy, by insisting on her contract in defiance of the altered conditions and by refusing to leave any way open for a re-settlement of the Jugo-Slav claims, should go down to history as having shown herself out of sympathy with the spirit of the time.