Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-04-26
ITALY'S GAME OF WAITING

The Literary Digest has gathered some interesting
information concerning Italys position relative to the
European war which may be summarized as follows:
"A bluff with the cards on the table is phrase uSed
to describe the curious game OF international PoTcS
which Italy has been playing for some m0nths past ne
entire nation we are told is united upon one point: Italy
must receive from Austria the territory she holds IN
which Italian blood language and culture predommate
the "nredeemed Italy" Of song and story This is the
price of Italian neutrality and failing to receive IT, we
are assured that the alternative is WaI and war on the
side of the Allies While all Italy is agreed upon the end
there exists say competent observers, cOnslderaoe
diversity of opinion as regards the means The cecal
party favor diplomatic negotiations and are commtteu
to the views expressed by the Vatican organ Che oSSe
vatore Romano which thinks
"The issues of the war are still uncertain. 1t is not
vet possible to specify what the respective losses ana
gains are likely to be- In this uncertainty now can ltay
venture on hazardous decisions instead OF securing her
legitimate interests by opportune negotiations, MAINTAIN
ing her own strength unmpared in the meantime, SO as
to make good her just aspirations at the proper tune!
These views appear to be held by many outside the
ranks of the proessed cercas and they argue that by
iudicous diplomatic pressure the offers already mace on
Austra's behalf by the German Ambassador Prince Won
Bulow may be substantially increased What the exact
offers are is naturally diplomatic secret but the Echo de
Paris states that it learns from trustworthy source that
Prince Won Buow has proposed to cede to Italy:
"() The upper valley Of the Adige, with Meran, and
the Esack Valley as far the neghborhoOd OF Franzens
feste a few ldlometers north of Brixen.
"(2) The district on the east side OF the RIVER lsono
with Corr (Gortz) and Monfalcone which would bring
Italys new frontier to the immediate neghborh0od oil
Trieste Italy would then not have access to the yoeSe
Valley which descends on Innsbruck, but would for a
great distance be close to the line Observation-Disclosures
feste-Vlach- Klagenfurt"
Meanwhile to Judge from reports in tNa Italian papers,
the great majority Of the population favors immediate
war and views with extreme suspicion the present pocy
of the Government This view held by some OF the most
eminent men in italy for example the famous historian
Guglielmo Ferrero, writing in the Milan SecoIo, says:
"tay is now in difficulties not because Austria mseo
her but because the Italian Government has failed tC
realize for what Germany has been preparing since 1903
Italy pays dearly for her error and as the men Wh(
were in power then are still at the hem is to be hopeC
that they have learned their lesson and that they will MOI
now be caught in state of hypnotic trance as was the
case in 1913 and 1914 These not times for ncetes
Despite their traditional pacitist policy the Italian
Republicans and the Socialists are among the most en-
thSiaStic supporters of an immediate declaration OF war
Signor Salvatore Barzai the leader of the Republicans
warns the nation in the columns of the Secoo OF th
danger of putting any trust in Austria"
1t is worthy of remark that the organ of the Italian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rome Giomale Italia
perhaps the most influential paper in Italy after months
of battling utterances worthy of the Cumaean Sby ha
at last come out with definite uterance on the subec
of the Governments policy In q leading article appro
priatey entitled "Plain Speaking" it says
EITHER Italy will be able to obtain peacefully an i'm
mediate sure serious satisfaction of her sacrosanc
aspirations and an equivalent safeguard of her great
complex interests she will have recourse to the suprem
proof of arms. Whatever may be the truth abou
the development of negotiations whereof many paper
affirm the existence Italians may rest assured that tn
great interests Of the nation will be maintained at all costs
Such is the will Of the country and SUCH according to on
view is the duty Of the Government"
The adjournment of the Italian Parliament is vewe