The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

Austria-Hungary as Serbia occupied before the present crisis arose. Italy would be constantly menaced and bullied by Austria-Hungary, besides being in danger of losing Venice, which is claimed by Germany as an outlet on the Mediterranean. Therefore it was to the paramount interest of Italy to frustrate the possibility of a Teutonic victory in Europe. The preservation and strengthening of the liberties of Europe was a sufficient inducement for Italy to intervene on the side of the Allies. But an equally strong, and perhaps more popular, inducement for Italy to intervene was the achievement of her national unity, the liberation of her kinsfolk from the Austrian domination, and the improvement of her strategic position in the Adriatic.

Every one must be in sympathy with the rightful aspiration of the Italians towards the achievement of their national unity, and with her securing such frontiers as to be protected from the everlasting threat of a foreign invasion, as was the case until now as regards her frontier in South Tyrol.

But the achievement of Italian national unity and the claims to obtain for Italy certain strategical frontiers, if pushed to extremes, will clash with the not less rightful claims and aspirations of the Southern Slavs for their national unity and the free development of their economic and commercial resources. Already the German papers have with joy announced the irrecon-

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