people picked
them up, and those who were unacquainted with the mechanism cried out
certain awe-inspiring sounds. Women and children--I fear this will not
be believed; it is none the less true--women and children removed some
of the men's helmets, and one group of children turned a helmet into a
football. "I am a father of a family!" cried a soldier. "I am innocent,
I have been deceived!" cried another. "O, Mama mia!" cried a third. They
wept, they bolted into the courtyards, and the women showed them little
mercy, for they tore off the men's belts and even struck them with their
fists. A Mrs. Sunjara routed four men and went home with their machine
gun on her back. In a few minutes the square was free of soldiers, and
forty rifles were stacked in the town hall. Fifty soldiers on the quay
were dealt with by a butcher who started firing at them; when they heard
the shouts of the approaching crowd they threw down their weapons and
fled. Two large motors escaped; the third was intercepted at the bridge,
and although young Sentinella, who ordered them to stop, had forgotten
his own rifle, they all--thirteen men and two officers--threw theirs
away. It was suggested that the running soldiers should be pursued.
"No," said an old man, "for we would kill them all. Let them rather go
back without arms or helmets. It will frighten the others." ... Two
hours later a party of Serbian soldiers arrived, but they were not
needed, save for the protection of those who had thrown in their lot
with the Italians. From Split, a few miles away, 1500 volunteers, who
speedily assembled, came with knives or agricultural implements or any
other weapon. "The Yugoslavs must realize," said Nitti, "that it is to
their interest to maintain sincere relations of friendship with Italy."

THE SUCCESSION STATES AND THEIR MINORITIES

The Yugoslav Government--as if it had not sufficient problems to
solve--was ordered now by the Peace Conference to accept sundry
regulations as to the rights of minorities, the transit of goods, and an
equitable regime for international commerce. The other States which had
inherited the Habsburg Empire were, all of them, faced with the same
demands; and they objected that to sign such Articles was inconsistent
with their sovereignty. The most onerous item--relating to the racial
and religious minorities--had been imposed--at America's instance, owing
to the manner in which the Jews were treated in Roumania, despite King
Char