The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-09

49,
which N waa lgs' ren"eed Tn" King
n italy h1wever u y constitutional
sovereign H. epuld not employ f1fce
fnf Mo suppufi ~ m ally II Nv" n"0ossrfy
%tsruNiafv Supplies werr withhold Nv his
suhl,,'t NJ ihcy voll mirht ~ N h"
proposed In tho lniorrst ~ GERMANY and
Austria. ~ emhr0il ITALY In y contest
wtih England and France ty"fy italian
Statesman knows that hia rUtntfY wua
brought ~ tho ycfso n bankruptcy nv
~ commercial wtf with trrhco and h"
muai altr %fofosco that u naval vNr With
England would involve fho lnas ~ sicily
and mast " the Italian seapotia Pr
Tho monrnt. however mn italian Minister
fnf totcisn iraifa would Apparently h"
Justified IN declaring that ha country.
mon would support their KINGS ndhct.
onco ~ the Triple Alliance provided that
compact hr strictly construed
Tho io,i ~ tho Triple Alliance has
nrvor boon puhlishrd nflciallv, yet
through unon1cinl but trust wortiy chan.
nela tho sul-tRncc NJ " hna long hrcn
known. II IL not ost"nsihly q contract
NJ which outside Powers could take NM
hragc. II Ia by no means n coalition Tor
offensive aa we'll "a defensive purposcs.
II simply binds the signatnr ~ to cooper
ate In the hvcnt Of any N ~ them h'ing
attacked simultaneously hv two or moro
Powers, bat, II may be- said, might not
Emperor WILLIAM n do what BISMARCK
did in 1870, that is To- sRy, although him
self deliberately the aggressor, contrivo
to mako the first overt act Of aggression
ccme from France? The trick could
scarcely be performed n second time.
The German Emperor Ia familiar with the
proverb, Once burnt. twice shy, and
he Is also aware that his Italian partner
in the Triple Alliance would he at liberty
to Judge for himself from which side the
act Of provocation really came. Our
conclusion is that Italy is most unlikely
ever to be called upon to keep the pledge
given to Germany and Austria, because
it Is most improbable that either Of the
Powers last named will ever be attacked
by France, Russia or Great Britain.
Meanwhile it is evident that Austria and
Italy take widely different views OF the
question whether, outside of coopera-
ton in a purely defensive war, the Triple
Alliance imposes any obligations what
ever. At Algeciras the Austrian envoy
played Germany's game with fidelity and
zeal, whereas the spokesman of Italy, as
we have said, held himself at liberty to
favor the French programme. Italian
statesmen also hold that there. is nothing
in the Triple Alliance TO prevent them
from giving French products a prefer
ence over German in the Italian market
by means Of a commercial treaty.
Under the circumstances King VICTOR
EAMANUEL's assurance of his personal
friendship and good faith must ring
hollow in the ears of many thoughtful
Germans, while the advocates of inter-
national peace can hear it without n
twinge of apprehension. Between the
lines of the message as printed the dele
gates to the next Hague Congress can
read hat Italy has no purpose of tran
scending by a hairs breadth the narrow
obligations of the Triple Alliance. Thus
far she will go, but no further.
ENen II lllt lbilldll ooNClCiSh - pON'i
able and willing to put a loose construc-
ton on his compact with Germany and
Austria and to %connive at aggressive
schemes on the part OF the Emperor
WILLIAM H., W cannot by any means
assume that the Triple Alliance could
cope for any great length of time with
the Franco-Russian league, provided
Great Britain should become a party to
the latter combination. If the Germans
really possess in their army the I'M
rivalled machine with which they are
credited by military experts, they could
probably gain some preliminary sue
cesses over the French on the Rhine and
over the Russians on the Vistula. Under
the conditions of modern warfare, how
v e the ultimate and conclusive tri-
umph must go to the longest purse.
There is no doubt that England's coad-
tutors, backed by her exchequer, could
fight on long after the last kreutzer had
vanished from the German wal chest.
The attempt to convince the world,
and particularly his own subjects, that
the Triple Alliance is still as firmly ce-
mented as ever, was natural enough on
the part Of the German Emperor. 1t
will not avail, however, in the slightest
degree to change the conviction of well
informed observers that the cordial I'M
Outstanding which Great Britain has
already brought about with France, and
which she seems On the point of arrang-
ing with Russia, may be accepted as a
guarantee Of international peace.