New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-05
Austro-Gcrman Grievances.


cured via Naples and Genoa.
Austro-Gcrman Grievances.
The Berlin and Vienna governments,
however, declare that the quantity is
far below what could be furnished
If the business world Of Italy
really put it's best foot foremost y
/ The reason given by Italy. the INSULT
cheney of her railway rolling stock, is
alleged TO be mere pretext to cover
an attempt to wiring concessions from
Germany and Austria.
The one question now being dis
cussed in Switzerland is, What consti-
tutes the minimum concessions that
! Italy will accept as the price of her
| continued land benevolent) neutrality
! Germany is credited with pressing
/ Austria to cede the Trentino. But it is
considered more than doubtful here
! that such a CONCESSION" has any
! chance of being accepted in Italy.
The "lntorventionists" in Italy as
sert that they will sweep any govern
! ment out of power that should so be-
/ tray the national aspirations. There
IS not any real evidence, however. that
! Austria is willing to cede one single
| inch of her territory. She has spent
! mlIllons OF dollars OH certifying the
| frontiers Of Trentino against Italian
attack and is certainly unwilling now
! 70 transfer that district to the country
that has coveted it so long
The problem is how long Austria will
! be able TO sit on the fence" All the
Swiss press, including the most rabid
] o. fD IAN - IL.
/ some concessions are made il is in
cvitablc that Italy will intervene ac-
lively in the war and on the side Of the
/ Triple Entente. The question on which
! the Swiss press is divided is as regards
/ the concessions by which the neutrality
of Italy may be purchased.
/ The pro-German section Of the press
maintains that Italy will content her
| self with the ceding of the Trentino.
| The pro-French section declares that
unless Trieste is coded Italy will fight.
As there seems little chance of that
] seaport being voluntarily handed over,
Italian Intervention would seem in
evltablc. Prince Won Bulow, the Ger
man Ambassador in Rome. is further
credited with extremely liberal prom
ises as 70 ltaly's share in Frances col
onies after the German victory. but
Italian statesmen are too much what
the Germans would call real politiker"
to "sell the bears skin before the bear
I l. killed"
For the Swiss Confederation.
ltaly's pending action is almost a
life and death question. At present the
only means Of communication between
Switzerland and the outside world is
via Italian ports. If Italy intervenes
in the war Switzerland will be COM
plctcly isolated She will only be able
10. obtain supplies from abroad at the
good pleasure % tho various bellig-
erents. 1t may be regarded as certain
that the fret condition the Entente
powers would make would be that
Switzerland should cease all trade with
Germany, at present probably her best
customer.
In addition. Switzerland, which has
already half her army under arms. will
be forced to mobilize the other half to
guard her Italian frontier. Her mill
tary expenditure at present $1,000.
900 francs a month"; will be doubled,
, and this at time when her resources
/ from trade and commerce arc reduced
TO their lowest ebb. It is no wonder
that the country is turning its eyes
toward Italy with ever increasing anx-
iety.
For t. powers of the Triple En-
tent the Intervention of Italy on their
side would not only mean the military
aid she could furnish. but would also
close yet another (and probably the
GREATEST source of supplies to Ger
many. The circle round that country
would be drawn yet tighter. Her only
remaining source of supply would, in
fact, be Holland and Scandinavia, both
countries easily blockaded from the
sea. SiGnor Salandra, therefore. TO
certain degree holds the key 10 the
European situation. How he will use
il is the question of the hour.