'The Turkish and Pan-Turkish Ideal by Tekin Alp' [‎21r] (46/58)

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CHAPTER V
THE IDEALS OF THE NEW NATION
The history of recent times shows us that all nations on awakening
to national consciousness think first of their brothers in neighbouring
lands. This thought has then gradually risen to become their national
ideal. This is seen for the first time in the case of Italy. Hardly had she
won her national unity when she became eager to help her compatriots
abroad. This movement to free her brothers in Southern Tyrol and
neighbouring districts gave rise to the Irredenta. Political consideration
induced Italy to enter into an alliance with Austria, but the Irredenta
never lost sight of its goal for a moment. The reason for the fact that
public opinion is against Austria in spite of the alliance is to be found only
in the Irredenta. In spite of the community of interests between Italy
and Austria, a real friendship has never existed between the two States.
They were even obliged to strengthen their common frontiers. Even in
this war public opinion in Italy is against her Allies. If this reaction were
not heavily counterbalanced by the wise statesmanship of the leading
personalities, the Italians too would have fallen into the clutches of
hypocritical and self-seeking Albion at the beginning of the war.
The Irredenta policy, which has its origin in Italy, is to-day one of
the strongest and most remarkable factors in the policy of nations.
Roumania has long been regarded as the satellite of the Triple Alliance,
or rather of Austria-Hungary. She is almost completely surrounded by
Slav nations and has her only natural point d’appui in the Monarchy.
It was, therefore, to be expected that she would openly declare herself
to be the partisan of Austria and promptly fall upon Russia, the enemy
of civilization. The latest events have unfortunately proved the contrary.
Immediately after the outbreak of war, public opinion ranged against
Austria and demanded that the Government should take the favourable
opportunity of joining forces with Russia against Austria. An explanation
of this strange and certainly unexpected fact is not far to seek. The
Irredenta movement has recently spread to Roumania, and has taken
a firm hold on the nation. Its object is to free the Roumanians in
Transylvania from the Austrian authority, and unite them with their
Fatherland. This movement has also extended to the Roumanians in
Hungary, and the Hungarian Government found itself obliged to take
the necessary steps. Russian money and intrigues could only have had
so surprising an effect in Roumania for this reason, that the ground was
amply prepared by the Irredenta. Thus the Irredenta, regarded as a
national ideal, almost succeeded in perverting Roumania to the extent
of inducing her to take up arms against Austria in this great war.
The Roumanian Irredenta is not only directed towards Transylvania
but also to Macedonia, although Roumania has no common frontier with