New-York tribune., 1912-12-19
ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER
DEFENDS THE DREIBUND
Strongest Guarantee of Peace
in Europe for Thirty Years
Plan for Albania.

Rome. Dec. ls.-In brilliant speech
which was frequently interrupted by out
bursts of applause. Marquis di San Gluli-
ano. the Foreign Minister to-day replied
in the Chamber OF Deputies TO those who
criticised the renewal OF the Triple ALI
ance.
The minister eulogized the Triple ALI
ance, which, he said, had been for thirty
years the strongest guarantee OF the
peace OF the whole of Europe. 1t had
permitted Italy to achieve wonderful
progress, despite innumerable difficulties,
both internal and external, and ii was
one of the principal factors In the great
economic advancement. and by more
closely welding the interests OF the civil
lied world and making them more inter
dependent it constituted new and pow
mined by the supreme necessities of ma
tonal existence and dignity.
II was eminently able. he continued. TO
guarantee the interests of the three ma
tions party 10 It in the Balkans, but 1t
must give assurance to them Of mutual
support. not only at the present time but
in the future. Each ally must be of the
conviction that It could depend on the
support tomorrow of the others in re-
turn for what IL did for those others to-
day. That must be an essential element
In the efficacy OF the alliance. There
fore. he maintained, the experience of
thirty years and the exigencies OF the
present situation justified the renewal of
the Triple Alliance.
Turning to its bearing on the Albanian
ques ton. the Foreign Minister said that
Italy and Austria, whose mutual rela-
tions are to-day most intimate and cordial
and who are the two powers most in
terested IN preserving the situation on
footing OF equality and liberty in the
Adriatic, have been able to agree on the
fundamental outlines of the solution Of
the Albanian problem in conformity with
tho prnciple Of nationality and having
due consideration for their own equal in
terests with regard TO Albania-that AL
bania. neutralized with the guarantee of
the great powers shall live as an inde-
pendent state, with an opportunity for ad-
vancement, and present an open field to
the free commerce Of the world. and be
at the same time a factor OF political
equilibrium in the Balkan peninsula and
in the Adriatlc.
There was then no reason to modify
the Triple Alliance, and none OF the
parties had asked to have II modified
1t was not necessary. he said, to point
out that the treaty was essentially pacific
and defensive and that its spirit entailed
an obligation on each power TO do its
utmost not TO involve the others in com
p!ications unnecessarily and To maintain
the most cordial relations with the other
powers.
The alliance between Italy. Germany
and Austria" said the minister. made
fruitful by the closest and most cordial
relations between the allies, must con-
tinue 10 be the fundamental pivot OF tho
Italian foreign policy"
Marquis di San Guliano added that on
the occasion Of the appointment Of Cen
eral Won Hoetzendorf as chief OF the gem
eral staff Of the Austrian army Count
Won Berchtold. the Austro- Hungarian
Foreign Minister had given him assur-
ances that the appointment was in no
way connected with the Austrian foreign
policy.