The Washington herald., 1915-05-24
j. 5, TO gain IF
ITALIANS fight
Diplomats Here Predict Great
Benefit for Commerce
of America.
WAR MATERIALS NEEDED
This Country Would Be Called Upon
to Furnish Supplies. 1t Is
Believed.
WAR MATERIALS NEEDED

The effect of the entrance of Italy into
matte and other officials here. is that II
will operate in the near future to the
great benefit of American commerce.
Diplomatic and military authorities
think that the Italian fleet will immeGi-
ately replace the French fleet in the
Adriatic and allow the latter to proceed
to join the AnglO-French fleet operating
against the Dardanell,s.
Diplomats construe Italy's declaration,
being specifically against Austria and
not against Germany. as a move to force
Germany to declare war against Italy
BY not declaring war against Germany,
Italy Is playing the role Of entering the
war not necessarily as an cncriy of
Kaiser Wilhelm. Diplomats here, how
ever. think that this position OF Italy
will not be of much value in the Ger
man mind and that Germany will re-
spond very promptly by a declaration
of war
One of, the most-co.nratent of the ad-
ministration officials. relieving the sit
uation produced by ;M= Ita:ian declara-
ton. said:
The United States at the outset is
in Strong position diploma tically and ma
tionally with Italy. We have no out
none on the horizon. The only little
disagreement for some years has been
over the right to inspect Italian immi-
grants. but that question no longer
exists by reason of the declaration of
war
Italy has been preparing for this war.
to our knowledge. for the last ten weeks.
In the mentime she has stocked up with
the material of war. but only for a
short period. She must again find her
market. before many days. in the ports
of the United States The character of
the war has demonstrated that 1t takes
but a short while to exhaust an ordinarily
large supply of rifles, cannon. shells and
powder. There is no prohibition against
trade with any nation in the weapons of
war. although of course. the United
States could not be seller as a nation.
I'VE look to a decided movement in
our commerce within a very short time
because, in addition to the actual fight
ing material-the maintenance Of an army
say of 2.OOO.O00 men-the foodstuff PROPOSE
ton will be one of immense financial
value to the United States. Our food
stuffs have been going to England and
France. and Italy win be the next big
market" -
A military expert said:
THE whole fleet of French battleships,
cruisers, torpedo-boat destroyers, and
submarines which, have been operating
against Austrian ports in the Adriatic
will be ordered away, I should think, ard
for them will be substituted an equivalent
Italian naval force. The French fleet
thus relieved will join the Apglo-Frenct
fleet in the operation of the forcing of
the Dardanelles. Italy will employ
others of her ships as policemen of the
Mediterranean and allow the whole
French feet, plus probably one-third OF
Englands great naval force. to proceed
with the work by land and sea Of CAP
turing Constantinople. 81
To Make Common Cause.
1t will be difficult to estimate. conse-
quentiy. for some weeks the relative
value of the Italian and Austrian as q
soldier. No military man here believes
that the operations on land win be con-
nned to Austrians and Italians. The
general belief IL that the Austrians and