The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-13
So Far as Present War is Con,
Cerned, According to Ad-
dress by Premier.

ROME. bee. 10 Primer Salandra
made speech at Turin the other day
in which he said two words that
summed up Italy's purposes In the
present European connict-natioua
aspirations" These two words a.c
worth remembering by any one who
wishes To understand Italy's role in
tho present conflict, and how II differs
from that Of England. France. Russia
and the other parties 10 the great
struggle.
Premier Salandra spoke at the
moment the Balkan situation was alb
sOrbing the attention OF the world. but
hc did not mention the balkans. II
Serbia or Belgium or Poland has boon
npperrnoSt in the public mind he doubt
less would have passed that over too
without mention. for the keynote OF
Salandra and Italy in this war is not
Belgium or Serbia or the Balkans or
ways and distinctly the fulilImcnt OF
ltaly's national aspirations"
New Parties nHd Leaders.
This policy uf sciZing the present
moment. when all Europe Ia at war.
for realizing Italy's aspirations. has
swept aside old parties and leaders
and brought new ones on the stage.
II has given name 10 Il new party,
the nationalist which is an extreme
section OF this policy Of realizing
ltalys national aspirations. and II has
founded a newspaper in Rome. the
Idea NaZionalc, whose name again
prOclaims this fundamental idea Of
Italian policy, the realization OF ma
tiOnal aspirations None of the En-
tento powers had any distinct national
aspirations leading them to enter the
war, and they were moved consider
ably by humanitarian and altruistic
ends And that Is where Italy's policy
differs fro mall others, as II is in this
war chiefly to realize its national as
pirations.
First and foremost Of these aspira-
tons is 10 get back ltaly's two lost
provinces in the norih-Trent in the
West. and the rich strategic country
north of Venice. sweeping around the
head Of the Adiatic down To Trieste.
These two provinces are the Alsacc
and Lorraine OF Italy. They are essen
tally Italiam; all The people speak
Italian: the Italian laws make them
Italian citizens IL they come to Italy;
one or the members of the Italian
cabinet is from these lost provinces
and yet is an Italian citizen and a
cabinet adviser OF the king. Italy
has deeply resented the loss of these
I two provinces ever since they passed
under the political control Of Austria.
first Trent during the Napoleonic cam
paigns. and later the upper Adriatic
country during the war with Austria
in 1866. II has always aspired TO
get them back. hut II remained for
the present war 10 mould this senti-
mcnt into an irresistible movement
of national aspirations"
Wants Shorthand strip.
But ltalys national aspirations do
not end with getting back its lost
provinces. Just across the Adriatic
lies lstria. t4at great stretch Of coun-
Try which used 10 be a Roman pro-
vince and later was part of the Nene-
tan republic Italy does not forget
that this valuable Shorthand along the
eastern Adriatic was once Italian, and
national aspiration feels that II should
again NE lidllhH- Ailu btsOllu 'Al1t
lies the Aegean islands. and the route
10 the East with Italy rs the great
power lying nearest this dazzling field
and the great power having the largest
coast line on the Mediterranean.
In this. TOO. Italy does not forget
that old Rome was mistress OF The
East and West. and that Roman
emperor. Constantine. founded Con.
stantinoplc and gave il his name
These aspirations are yagely defined
and arc not distinct part of the
present national aspiration movement
hut they all 90 together III tho popular
hopes and dreams Of an expanding ant
greater Italy.
German influence Disappears.
The most notable feature OF thi!
new movement OF national aspiration
IS tho sudden disappearance of Ger
man prestige and influence. For years
Germany had been building mp com
1 manding position in the commercial
! financial aud industrial affairs Of Italy
The Triple Alliance was the politica
) bond. but German business men wer
doing more than the politicians.