LIBERATION BY FASCISM [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sta,—In
the course of the present campaign in East Africa the chief of the Italian Government has been frequently heard to reiterate that " the war which we have commenced on Abyssinian soil is a war of civilisation and liberation." May I be allowed to .enquire, through the medium' of your valued Paper, what claim Fascist Italy has to be recognised as the bearer of ciVilisation and freedom to foreign countries ? An examination of her domestic record will perhaps enlighten us.
By the Peace Treaty of St. Germain Italy acquired new territory with some 230,000 German-Austrians in South Tyrol and in the neighbourhood of 500,000 Jugoslays in the Adriatic provinces. Neither of these groups was consulted as to its wishes when transferred ; on the contrary, their repeated protests were entirely ignored. Today there is hardly a more unhappy people in Europe.
In an atmosphere of violence and terrorism all that the natives of these provinces have inherited in the way of culture, language and free traditions is being destroyed. The teaching, public and even private, of the German or Slav mother-tongue is ruthlessly suppressed, and the education of the .children from their earliest years is entrusted to the Fascist youth organisations,. to .make them into good Italians. Of late, German surnames have been forcibly changed into Italian names. " Icci word of the mother-tongue may even be engraved on the .tombstone of a relative.- In April last, the _Italian Government decided to soothe Austrian opinion by announcing the grant of German classes in South Tyrol, and 25,000 children out of 30,000 showed their approval by applying for these classes. What has been the application of this measure ?
When the classes finally appeared in December, they were only established in the towns of flown and Menai while the country districts were left untouched—the purity of the German taught being further ensured by the use of Italian teachers who taught through the medium of Italian. ,
In view of their-own experience of Italian domination, can
it be wondered that the South Tyrolese and Jugoslays are none too anxious to enforce this " civilisation and liberation " ou the Abyssugans ? Can it be wondered that they have expressed their feelings by numerous desertions from the Italian Army ? —I am, Sir; yours. truly, •
E. RF.ur-Nicotussi (Representative of South Tyrot in the
• • Italian Parliament, 1921-24)i Innsbruk, am Stemwortestr. 17a.
N.B.—These desertions have been somewhat exaggerated in the Press. According to the Italian Jugoslav Emigrants Association in Belgrade, the number of deserters in Jugoslavia up to the end of January amounted to 1,350, including 50 Italians. It is not possible to ascertain the exact number of South Tyrolese, but they arc at least as numerous.
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