The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-23
ITALY DECLARES WAR
AFTER GETS IN IT
CONTINUED from page IL

| Alps into Tyrol, the country itself al
| fording a natural barrier to an Of
| fensive from northern Italy. The Al
pine troops undoubtedly will be as
signed to the task of guarding ltalys
northern frontier from an expected at
tack through the railway passes, be-
cause Of their knowledge OF the coun-
| try Eight regiments of Alpine in
fantry will be reinforced at the out
set by thirty-six batteries of mounted
artillery, especially fitted for fighting
| in the mountain passes.
Though King Victor Emanuel nomfn-
ally is in command of the army. eth
er General Cadorna, chief Of staff, or
General Carlo Caneva, is expected to
direct the campaign to bring to Italy
the Trentino and the eastern prov
inces General Cadorna left Rome
several days ago. but the war office
has not confirmed the report that he
established headquarter near the Aus
trian frontie-
| General Caneva commanded the
Italian forces in Tripoli in the Italian
Turkish war of 1911. He was assign
ed several weeks ago to take COM
mand of the Italian forces then form
ing along the Austrian frontier. One
report tonight was that Caneva would
command the army that will operate
along the Trentino frontier and that
Cadorna will assume charge of the
operations against Goritz and Trieste,
being supplanted as chief of staff by
General Porro.
Italy Strikes.
ROME, May 22.-Italy has struck.
III f1C,, u
| this evening, putting the nation vir-
tually at war with Austria A formal
declaration from the cabinet now in
session at the capitol is expected at
any moment.
| The king has signed the royal proc
| lamation of war drafted under his per-
sonal direction. 1t will be promul-
! gated the moment the word is flashed
from the capitol.
Baron Won Macchio, the Austrian
special ambassador is understood to
have received hfs passports and TO
have made ready to leave Rome to-
night. He drove to the foreign office
this afternoon Immediately receiving
| code message from Vienna. Prince
Won Bulow, the German ambassador,
! Is reported to be awaiting instruc-
lions from Berlin.
! Due D'Avarna the Italian ambassa-
! dor to Austria-Hungary is reported to
have left Vienna tonight The foreign
Office would not confirm this report.
/ but denied a rumor that Signor Bel
! att, the Italian ambassador to Ger
many, demanded his passports early
today.
! The mobilization orders, as publish
ed this evening, call to the colors the
nations forces both on land and sea.
Almost Immediately the military took
complete charge Of the railways which
have been nominally in charge Of the
government for several days and word
went out that regular passenger
schedules are to be cancelled. Troops
are leaving Rome by the score tonight.
AS fast as they can be transported,
military troops are being rushed north
ward. The clamp came down firmly
tonight on all dispatches regarding
troop movements. but 1t Is known the
military here is in close touch with
the situation Italy expects to aston
ish the world by the rapidity with
which mobilization is completed and
her first armies rushed against the
Austrian frontier.
All Italy seems wild with the war
spirit Rome was rocked tonight by
the roaring cheers from the threats
Of 200, 900 men and women who march
ed and countarmarched past the gov
eminent buildings and the royal pal
ace, waving the si1ken tri-co1ors and
historically shouting for war.
Scores OF private automobiles. part
; OF them Communicated and others
voluntarily turned over to the govern