The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-03-16
i Respected il Consequence Of Pro.
phecy That Country Would Aban-
don Neutrality in Spring.
EXPECT ALLIES TO GAIN SUPPORT
Kaiser for First Time Allows Diplo.
mats to Work Publicly Show
Seriousness Of Situation.
BY J. w. T. MASON. !

ports are circulating in Great Britain
that Italy will enter the war on.
March q on the side Of the Allies.
This prediction has not been publish
ed, but is being quietly passed about.
The date, Of course, is only an APP
|proximate guess. March q is the
first day of spring, and the meaning
OF the prophecy is that Italy will
abandon it's neutrality early in the
spring. =: I. 4. ~. < 4 e. &-,.=s /
There is tentative standardization
for Great Britian's belief that En-
peror Francis Joseph has declined to
purchase Italy's neutrality by parting
with Austrian territory. 1t is i'm
possible, however, to put an entirely
pessimistic Interpretation on these
reports, for they are intended pri-
marily for publication in London and
Paris. -. 49,. =
Never Works in Public. a.
But the. publicity which the Ger
man government has given to the fact
that negotiations are desirable at
Rome, and the fact that the leading
German newspapers, without inter-
ference by the censor, : have urged
Austria to satisfy Italy's territorial
ambition, indicate. that much pres
sure at Vienna has been necessary
German diplomacy never works in
public, as it has been doing over the
questions of Italy's continued neut-
rality, unless urgent reasons demand
such a course. The only possible
urgent reason in the present case is
reluctance atVienna to agree to Ber-
Inns proposal to. restore Austria's
italian provinces to the peninsula
monarchy. IT, +. - =
-, Means Sacrifice. X. *
While, therefore, it is not neces-
|sary to- believe the authorities. lat,
Vienna have finally refused adequate
Ely to recompensate Italy, decided re-:
luctance undoubtedly exists to Aus
tria being made the German pawn.
The most probable Interpretation of
the matter is that crisis has arisen
in the Italian negotiations and Ber-
lin is exerting all possible influence
to Vienna to meet the Roman de-:
mands. In an affair so far-reaching.
as the voluntary surrender of nation
al territory to a rival country, there
must necessarily be much hesitation
on the part of the nation making the
sacrifice. ...- 49,. .- :.
It does not follow, therefore, be-
cause the Austrian emperor rejects
the suggestion of his "Hohenzollern
cousin" Italy's entry into the war
now becomes inevitable. Francis
Joseph probably will continue to hest
tate until the last moment. And his
present refusal means no more, for
the moment, than that still more
urgent reasons must be addressed to
him. If the necessity for satisfying
italy is as desperate as it appears TO
be considered in Germany, negotia-
lions, presumably, will continue, at
least until the kaiser. personally has
conferred with Francis Joseph. =.
AS far as is known, the two rulers
have not met since the war began.
It is logical to assume, therefore, that
there is still hope of peace in. Italy.
Unless Italy sends Austria an ulti-
matum with a quick limit, the kaiser
land Francis Joseph presumably must
have an interview before Austria f.
naily refuses to do the German bid
ding. r. -