HEROIC ITALY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12065, 21 July 1917, Page 8

HEROIC ITALY.

Passing as we are through the greatest crisis which, the world has ever seen, the. attention of Jsritiahers is largely centred on the Western and Eastern fronts, where, the British and French and tho 11 u:-shins respectively are making history. Fighting is Caking place in so many spheres and tho drama is moving along with such ererr.crclorated velocity that, it is difficult to keep thoroughly in touch with the march of eveuts. Amongst the nations whoso work has been largely overlooked is Italy, which, since she declared vrar against Austria, lias rendered invaluable services to the. cause of the Allies, and. at, Home. at any rate, those nerviees are thoroughly appreciated. Tho contour of the country over which -ley have been under rite necessity oi attacking, lent .itself admirably for defensive purposes, the attackers being at a. decided disadvantage as compa r ed with tho defenders. Italy know the .nature of the work which lay before her before, she severed relations with Austria. Her leaders were well aware of the formidaolo barriers which stood in the way of « Hacking the Dual Kingdom, but they were, also aware that Italy would :o?e her proud position among nations were she to hesitate to take up arm ; , against tho buccaneering Powers of Central Europe. They felt thai they could not fold their arms and petmit a ruthless ioo to overrun a continent. It would have been against all the traditions of the country had it remained a mere spectator of the tragedy which was taking place around. Italians, like the people of eo many other now embattled nations, heard tho r.ry of civilisation, and with alacrity took their place alongside tho Allies. Since then they have alternately advanced and retired, although it would seem that, the days of retirement havo ceased, and that henceforth the movemenf, will be steadily eastwards. Yesterday we were told that, tho Ausfcrians were under the necessity of weakening their linas iu order to send men to the Russian front, and that the Italians on the Carso a.nd the had taken advantago of the, situation to substantially advance their lines. Italy's services have already proved of value beyond price, and when tho time conies for the remaking of the map of Europe, tho country ruled by Victor Emmanuel will assuredly have its boundaries materially extended, and several provinces which were many years ago ruthlessly torn from Italy will be restored, just as Alsace and Lorraine will, it is confidently anticipated, nro long rejoice under tho French flair.

Tiio history of Italy is a. long story of war, and this war, dreadful jib it is, is but- an incident in the story. Her soil for centuries lias been drenched in blood. Hor towns and Tillages have been sacked, her fields wasted by tho invaders of many nations, tho cities and inhabitants destroyed, and now cities built upon the i*mns, only to be, in their turn, cast down hy tho ?,anuo savage foes. Homo conquered 51 nrl pavo laws to the world, but (ho long ages of its decline saw the land almost an eternal battleground. Germanic tribes, Goths, Iluns, Vandals, Byzantine invaders, in turn attacked the empire, weakened by dissolution, nnd the capture-ind sacking of Rom 0 by tho Goths and Vandals stand out among the. constant ravages and destruction of tho great cities of Italy thrcMgh the eunturics, making the hind a desolation. Tho story of the Middle Ages is a lorn; drama of strife. And yet nil the wondrous activity oi the States and city republics of thn peninsula was enriched .by the growth of art and learning, nnd the most varied developments or human genius. The masterpieces c? architecture, painting sculpture, and every form of craftsmanship form still the priceless and unsurpassed treasures of humanity. The warliko achievements of Venice, Florence, Milan, Pisa. Genoa and the other States disciplined tho people in the arts and crafts, so that artistic skill and craftsmanship probably reached nearer perfection than at any other time, and humanity itself never attained greater height than in tho great men and women of the Renaissance. Tho division between mediaeval and modern history is of course arbitrary. "The main features of modern history," says T)r Creighton, " a.ro tho development of nationality nnd tho growth of individual freedom. 1 ' But at the age when these almost unconwiious movements were making themselves felt through tho rest of Europe, Italy remained broken into fragments under the tyrannous sway of many separate foreign Governments, torn by Avar .'in-.l by dynastic feuds between tho rulers of Austria, Germany, France and Spain, and tho never-ending conflicts between temporal and religious forces." But through aJI this red background of war and blood, the land and its people saw tho continued growth of great achievements. Tho schools of art and sculpture of Florence, Venice, Rome, Umbria and other centres witnessed the wonderful developments of

genius in every form- To-day Italy is the treasure-house of art and beauty, and the names of Dante, Boccacio, Galileo. Petrarch, Michel Angelo, aro only tho greatest, of an endless world of poets, artists, masters of science, philosophy and letters.

The deep-rooted at traction of Ualy for great- Englishmen in every c:cTit-ra-tion is remarkable. Two <;;roat Englishmen, centuries apart. John Milton and Charles Dickons, h.»th loved and visited the land, and wore impressed by its associations. .Byron. Kea rs, Shelley, Lander, Browning. lluskin, Memlith, .'ill havo attested their love for u. in imperishable literature. And the torch of letters, learning and < : cienco burns brightly to-day. lUi:. it is the land of the greit patriots, Maxzini. Gaiibaldi, and the .threat, statesman, Carom-. ihe land of a poop!?- " rightly struggling to be free" that, calls to us to-day. This war is for Italy but the last act of -oho drama of Liberation, the drama of the ! as.t century of aspiration and struggle. The achievement )f Itulian iSationa.ii.ty (not to bo fuily completed until tho Austrian is expelled from tho Trentino and Trieste, and Italy becomes again Mistress of the Adriatic) is an ovenf. of yesterday. After ill-?. Napoleonic- war Italy, to use the phrase of Mettcrnich, was only a •'geographical expression - ' split up into separate kingdoms or States — Yeneti-.i, and Lornbardy under Austrian rule—and the individual rulers of the ether State? im.ler tho sway of Austria. foreign troops dividing with priestly jr.uhorit.y Homo itself. The whole century witnessed the almost hopeless struggle for Nationality and Liberation.

And yet this people, so divided, dominated, misgoverned, its liberties trampled on, its citizens oppressed, from the brutal tyranny of tho Bourbon rulors of Naples in the r,outh to Austria's Bavago executions of patriots in Lomhardy in the north, fanned the fire of nationality into life, and after seventy yenrs of struggle, of defeat alternating with victory, finally welded itself into unity under the House of Savoy in 1871. Mazzini and the fiery heio. Garibaldi, expressed in words oncl deeds the spirit of the land; while Cavour. tho most fur-s2eing European statesman of tho last century, "took occasion by the hand," and Italy again stood forth a nation and one of tho Great Powers To Britain she is an old Ally—her soldiers fought side by fide with Miosc of France and England iji tho Crimean War. And now, freed from tho net of trade penetration, diplomatic deceit and espionage woven hv l.er Germanic enemies, she again standa by our side as orn- Ally and makes manifest that, tho prowess of ancient Homo still abides. Italy, tfcj cradle of so much of civilisation, art. letters and science, i s too often regarded by the ignorant as a. tourists' playground. But the world's dobfc to tho Italian people is a great one, and to-day their armies form one. of the strong ramparts of liberty.