Evening star., 1914-12-13
IS ITALY'S NEUTRALITY LIMITED?

Signor Giolitti recommended great cau-
ton and watchfulness. and since the very
life of the ~ation was at stake, tha
government. parliament and the press
should be cautious.
Italy was cautious and marked tins
for a fact because neither her army
nor navy was prepared for wer. To
be precise. we know that in the mat
ter of modern field guns she lacked
just 1.a4e of the "Deport gun ncces-
sary for her mobilization. Italy had
begun arming in 1912 with these ex-
ceilent arms, possessing remarkable
advantages over the German and Aus
trian pieces. IL was necessary to con-
tract with the Creuzot works. hut when
the war commenced France WAS un-
prepared and. according to the agree
ment. France was obliged to take over
tne hatterles heiI.g prepared for Italy
How Italy In this emergency finally
succeeded in supplying her deficiency
ia the secret of the war department a.
Rome The quartermaster's department
was likewise lacking i'm necessary sup
plies which had been drained by her
recent campaign in the Tripoiitan.
Nevertheless 100000 pairs of boots
were manufa ctured in Italy or pur-
chased In america Likewise horses
ments of cavalry. Twenty Thousand
horses were purchased in Italy and
$4,000 in North and South America
These are very imperfect notes of the
Prior To the present war the 1891 1892
and 1898 classes were actually un-
der arms. n total of all arms of 500
600 men When the war began two
classes were called TO the colors. 1890
and 1889. thus adding 100000 Then
Gen. Zupelli at the head of the war
office dismissed $4,000 reservists OF tho
1859 class and called the second cate
CORY OF recruits from the 1894 class as
well as men from the 1889 class eyAmp,-
ed because each had n brother with the
colors- The total of these amounted 70
$4,000 and exactly replaced those dis
November Il another 60. ooo were dis
missed. but 10000 took their place
The class Of 1895 will he ready Janr-
ary l. 1918. Then the strength of tho
army VIII he $50 000. and later win riee
to $4,000. All the reservists. Il is M
derstood. are liable to be recalled 70
re1oin the coIo-s within twentv-four
hours' notice Thus italy viii NO ready
1915. with 7eo.o men trained and
completely equipped:
if the six classes of reservists fror,,
'sss to 1888 are called the first line
will count more than |. .o0n
Reservist 600. There is a second linz
Eoroo, Of these for territoria,
service. 1.15o 600. Including
All men who have nassed tho ape limit
for active service There is still n third
line who have heen traired. hut ex
emnted These may he called in urcer.
need. Briefly Italy may summon with
out resort to tho exempted 3r5O. .nnn
and all these Italy has armed ana
nnninned
Fa'v's fleet has been -,1nI,iiized in rs
"ntiretv at Taranto with the exoeniion
of obsolete shins which are pssanhled
at the Island of Taseno. which com
ma nds the mouth Of Avlona harhor IN
Albania
Italv's psychology rnav he best an
nreriafed by a nerusnl of the sneeches
IN lfaIv's FOREIGN and colonial no1icv
IAN minister OF FOREIGN ofHairs frans-
'oo9. In the first of these speerhes in
fhe chamber December Is. 1909 the
minister's argument was the diver
~enre in the poiirins OF Austria and
italy over tho Balkan questions In
the second. the points Of ai~arenc.
with Turkey and Italian interests IN
me TrtnoIitan. In the third sneecr.
that "Ita1v wac for the trinle alliance
hArause that alliance was for paace
INSISTING that italy wae not being
-''anAuvered into a position az infe
-ioritv IN the alliance" The Significance
"f these declarations was that It was
f"und necessary TO make them at all,
."r io"r'n sneecn. ,he minister hold
rv;tb E,g,ona 80. Irn".nIn
sfrnnplv. and r,ust he , chiar ,h,so
of Italian foreign nolicv. and that m.
rns1erInr and maintenance Of close
,..,am e,,s"r ~n r,H"re mnst be an
Sienor Tjftoni uainta,re5 f-o,,, ,r..
IN last in these speeches th,.
.aiv shonid cling CLOSELY to England
- INC hrst of fhe sneerheS
r,r,,clx orer ,ha oro,.,a. ~ IN, IN,
'an university and the LAST sneecb NJ.
delivered at the fi-na Of the annaxatfo,
nv Austria oe Roenia-
10th canses OF c~arsa 10 rtoiy. +b,,
roIIowed the orestion or parkan ~
-avs. in which Jtarv rent that austr,o
--as cettirn the advantage
The guiding nr,ncin,e oe rt.1i,r nj,
SOW was laid down bv cionor -ri..on,
thuS. There rnmains Tho fo,na,t,
~ the povernmants no,;o,.. IT, e.,