ry explanations, would, if disclosed at that
moment, have aggravated the feeling of bitterness against France, which
was fast gathering. Signor Orlando had recourse to the censor to prevent
indiscretions, but the intuition of the masses triumphed over
repression, and the existing tenseness merged into resentment. The way
in which Italians accounted for M. Clemenceau's attitude was this.
Although Italy has ceased to be the important political factor she once
was when the Triple Alliance was in being, she is still a strong
continental Power, capable of placing a more numerous army in the field
than her republican sister, and her population continues to increase at
a high rate. In a few years she will have outstripped her rival. France,
too, has perhaps lost those elements of her power and prestige which she
derived from her alliance with Russia. Again, the Slav ex-ally, Russia,
may become the enemy of to-morrow. In view of these contingencies France
must create a substitute for the Rumanian and Italian allies. And as
these have been found in the new Slav states, Poland, Czechoslovakia,
and Jugoslavia, she can afford to dispense with making painful
sacrifices to keep Italy in countenance.

A trivial incident which affords a glimpse of the spirit prevailing
between the two kindred peoples occurred at St.-Germain-en-Laye, where
the Austrian delegates were staying. They had been made much of in
Vienna by the Envoy of the French Republic there, M. Allize, whose
mission it was to hinder Austria from uniting with the Reich. Italy's
policy was, on the contrary, to apply Mr. Wilson's principle of
self-determination and allow the Austrians to do as they pleased in that
respect. A fervent advocate of the French orthodox doctrine--a
publicist--repaired to the Austrian headquarters at St.-Germain for the
purpose, it is supposed, of discussing the subject. Now intercourse of
any kind between private individuals and the enemy delegates was
strictly forbidden, and when M. X. presented himself, the Italian
officer on duty refused him admission. He insisted. The officer was
inexorable. Then he produced a written permit signed by the Secretary of
the Conference, M. Dutasta. How and why this exception was made in his
favor when the rule was supposed to admit of no exceptions was not
disclosed. But the Italian officer, equal to the occasion, took the
ground that a military prohibition cannot be canceled by a civilian, and
excluded the would-b