even the Italians and the Southern Slavs making friends with each other. Thus they toned down the effects of the Treaty of London which, by lapse of time, had already lost the keenness of its edge. Though many Italian politicians still invoked it, neither the public opinion of Europe and America nor President Wilson himself accepted it. Once again, the credit for the agreement in Rome belonged mainly to Steed and Seton-Watson.
After the Caporetto disaster the Italians and the Southern Slavs had begun to come together, both sides acknowledging that they stood nearer to each other than to Austria-Hungary, and the Southern Slavs realizing that the defeat of Italy would be a defeat for them too. Towards the middle of December 1917 Steed invited Italians and Southern Slavs in London to a joint meeting at his house, where they found a basis of agreement against Austria-Hungary. Then Steed persuaded the Italian Prime Minister, Orlando, to negotiate with Trumbitch. This was done in Steed's presence in January 1918. In February, an Italian and a French Parliamentary Committee made preparations for a Congress of oppressed Austro-Hungarian peoples; but the negotiations were by no means easy. They began in Paris with Beneš. On the French side, MM. Franklin-Bouillon and Fournol took part in them and, on the Italian, two members of Parliament, Torre and Gallenga, with Amendola, Borgese and Lazarini, who possessed the confidence of the Italian Vice-Premier Bissolati. Florescu represented the Roumanians and Dmowski the Poles, though the Poles showed some reserve. The task of Dr. Beneš was to keep the Yugoslavs in line—a difficult matter, for our Southern Slav friends made very drastic demands upon the Italians. Torre and Borgese went to London and negotiated with Steed and Seton-Watson amid constant difficulties. Trumbitch was recalcitrant until the sharp language of Steed and Seton-Watson finally led to the adoption of a common formula. Nevertheless, in Paris, Dr. Beneš had still to persuade Dr. Trumbitch not to hold aloof. In the end, the Congress, at which our representatives were Beneš and Štefánik, went well. Its proceedings were solemn and their high political significance and influence were enhanced by the circumstance that, under Lord Northcliffe, England began vigorous anti-Austrian propaganda on the Italian front, Steed having drafted the policy on which it was based. He proposed to the Allies that they should proclaim forthwith the freedom of the Austrian peoples and should make the fact known to the Slav regiments in the
