The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1919. A JUGO-SLAV STATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1919. A JUGO-SLAV STATE.

The project for the creation of a great Jugo-Slav State is bßariiig fruit and carrying out the principle of self-determination, relative to which so much emphasis has been laid in connection with the Allies' part in the great war. The Jugo-Slavs have been a scattered people, but their aspirations have ever been fixed on attaining a unity that would make them in time a . great nation. The new State includes Serbia, Montenegro and the Serbo-Croatian provinces of what was Austria-Hungary, but to complete the family party, as it were, the possession of Dalmatia is essential, because more than ninety per cent of the people of Dalmatia are Serbs and Cro- 1 . and it is necessary for the new Jugo-Slav State to have full command of its natural frontier —the Adriatic coast line. Unfortunately, Italy has put forward a claim to Dalmatia as part of the extended territory which is to make up, the new Italy. It is as well thai' the trouble should have arisen before instead of after -the Beace Conference, for it can now besettled at the same time as other al- ! terations in the map of Europe are made. At one time it looked as if ■ this question

political crisis in Italy, Signor Bissolati feeling so strongly on the point that lie resigned, and there appeared to be the possibility of other meinbers of the Cabinet also retiring. The latest news from Rome, however, indicates that a crisis has been averted, and though Bissolati's resignation has been accepted, the policy of the Orlando-Son-nino Ministry remains unchanged. The competing claims of the Italians and Slavs along tlie Adriatic coast is no new development. Rather has it been a long-standing controversy. The Italian Nationalists made no secret of their aim to so extend the Italian frontier that it would include Dalmatia, South Albania and Epirus, but subsequently they found there was really no ;jnst ground for including D; -' ia, and this view was endors ;,y a Congress at Rome in 1918, at which all the Italian political parties were represented, together with delegates from the •Jugo-Slavs. Dalmatia affords an exceptionally good instance of Jthe eourse which would be taken by the people acting under the principle of self-detei'mination. It is unreasonable to suppose that where more than 90 per cent, of the people of a given territory are by racial ties and sympathies wholly attached to Slav kinsfolk, that they would elect to become part of a State, governed however well, by foreigners. This view may or may not have influenced the conference above mentioned, but since then the Italians have become conquerors, and there is no longer any Austro-llungary to bar the way to the redemption of the logt provinces. Apparently these Nationalists have lost sight of the fact that it was to the Allies and not to Italy that the defeat of Austria was due. At all events (whether from swollen heads or hardened hearts is immaterial) these Nationalists.seem to be bent on causing trouble, though it. is somewhat remarkable to find that Baron Sonnino is backing up the weak ease of the Nationalists in this matter. Regarded from an international spectator's point of view, the matter is one that could and should be settled without a moment's hesitation. Apart from the racial -aspect of tiio ease, the new .Jugo-Slav State i. ieratively needs Dalmatia, while to Italy it is of really no service beyond pandering to a sentiment which the late war should have completely obliterated. Certainly the Allie's will have a voice in the settlement of this question, and they are practically pledged to see that the Slav races obtain full justice, and that their rightful aspirations and ideals may be mads realisable by the removal of impediments such as those with which the Italian Nationalists are now obstructing the Jugo-Slavs in forming a kingdom on sure and safe lines. The Slavs are without doubt destined to become powerful, and it would be well to instil into them the blessings of peace by allowing them to attain their aspirations by peaceful means and seeing that they are assured of a sea frontage so as to foster trade and industry. The cession of Dalmatia to the Jugo-Slavs will, as it were, round off their kingdom and consolidate their kinsfolk. They will be free from molestation by either Italy or Austria, and would form in time a check on undesirable outbreaks by the smaller nations. The day may even come when a great Slav Empire will replace so?ne of the strong nations. It will be for the Peace Conference to give the Jugo-Slavs a start towards building their kingdom, and preventing Italy acting the part of the dog in the manger.