Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-04
CAN ITALY AFFORD
TO TAKE UP FIGHT?
Berlin Thinks Not, and Finds
Comfort in Neighbours
Position.
THEIR REVENUES AT LOW EBB
Earthquake and Flood Also Have
Added to Kingdoms
DiscomfortS.

bombnrdmcnt of the Dardanellcs was
press began n louder clamor for Italy's
participation In the war. the dormant
fear of the entrance OF n new foe,
equal at least to Austria. in military
and naval power. has agitatcd the
minds OF Bcrlincrs.
In official circles, however, calmcr
views prevail. Several prominent Of
pcials OF the German Foreign Depart
mont. whom have approached all
agreed that no fenr need be felt of
Italy joining hands with France. Eng
land and Russia. although among the
masses OF Italy "a war against Austria
would be Immensely popular.
Tho reasons they gave were. first OF
ALL italy's economical position. Dur
'ng the first six months OF the war
italy's imports decreased A. per cent.
During January last export business
improved a little. and continued to i'm
prove during February. but the i'm
ports arc still 35 per cent below nor
NAL Many Italian industries are
completed! paralyzcd. and the num-
Der Of unemployed is greater than for
who formerly migrated to Franco and
Germany every year are now com
PEELED TO remain AT home
COUNTRY HAS SUFFERED
ENORMOUS DAMAGE
Great parts of tho country have suf-
Tered enormous damage from floods.
and many thousand acres OF fertile
land have been under water The dam
age done is very considerable.
The kingdom revenues have de-
creased by more than l00.00o.o00 Tires,
and II does not improve matters that
The provinces devastated by earth
quake and flood have been exempted
from paying taxes this year at the
same time. the army OF 100000 men
which Italy is forced to keep under
arms costs the treasury an enormous
amount, and. besides the recent loan
OF 100000 lires, IL VIII be soon
necessary 20 issue new loan of triple
that amount. The price OF government
bonds Is rapidly going down.
so FAR the price Of living in Italy
has not gone up very much. except
bread. but this has been enough to
cause faminel.ke conditions in South
'rn Italy and Sicily. The grain In the
country is barely sufficient to last to
me emu OIL TINS month.
The chambers are strongly opposed
10 war. especially tho Senate. AS for
tho government. nobody knows what
is Intentions are. STANDARDS speeches
in November and recently at the open
ing OF Parliament were absolutely non
commit,al lie strongly emphasized
that italy must benefit by the war, but
l"f; US In darkness as to how and by
what means.
GUSTAV WANTS PEACE
CONFERENCE At SrOCkuoI.N
King Gustav OF Sweden. who during
Inc whole war has maintained the
necessity OF Sweden remaining abso-
lately neutral. has. according TO The
stockholm correspondent of the Bcr-
liner Tageblatt expressed the wish
that the peace conference which is 10
follow the war he held in Stockholm.
Sweden has. sometimes under great
provocation. complied with the strict,
est demands of neutrality, and its re-
iations with both sides are excellent"
the King said. and nothing would
please me more than If at the end OF
the war our country were called to
play more important part 1t is too
early to talk OF peace yet. OF course
rs long as the passions of the nations
have not yet subsidized. but sooner or
later present conditions must come IN
an end. and Stockholm will become tho
great road from east to west and north
to south. More than any other ca nita,
in Europe. Stockholm has claims TO II.
considered the ideal city for n ncace
conference"
The Tageblatts correspondent heart
lis Endorses the Kings words. and adds
that neither side could find a better
statesman 10 preside at the peace con-
terence IMAM the present Swedish
Premier llamarskjoeld, whose love ~
peace and objective views are widely
known. His work at The Hague. whore
he was president of the commission
on the Casablanca affair was uni
versally recognized
i CLEMENCEAU HURTS FEELINGS
Of NEUTRAL NATIONS
The old French politician and states
90 man. Georges Clemenceau. whose mas
sions are running as high as ever IN
spite OF his white hair. has repeatedly
succeeded in hurting the feelings Of
neutral nations who did not agree with
his idea that 1t Is their duty TO ioin
hands with France against GERMANY
In recent article in L'Homme En-
X
ade of England would arouse the In
dignntion OF every nation In the world
with the exception. perhaps, Of a ma
tion like the Danish that has lost all
pride and sense of honor"
Replying to this accusation. Pro-
fessor George Brandes, of Copenhagen.
the famous savant who last year visit cd
tho United States. has written the fol-
lowing open letter to NJ. Clemenceau.
who is his personal friend
II. who at least cannot be accused
of any desire to enrich myself by the
war would consider Denmark's partici.
cation In the war as AN act of sheer
insanity.
AS read your paper, / am we'll
lware that you consider 1t to be the
iuty OF Denmark to declare war
against Germany. AS long as the Dam
be- -