The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-05-14
RUSSIAN DEFEATS
MAY <<;:;|$E ITALY
T0ENTEkv><s v><s<'<"'.ICT
Danger That Slavs May Be Expel4>
From Galicia Means Petrograd May
Be Compelled to Make Terms.
COUNTRY's OPPORTUNITY COMES
Entrance Into War Measured by Mill.
tary Considerations and Loss of
Life Necessary to Gain Istria.
BY J. w. T. MASON.

New York, May 1.-THE continued
defeats Of the Russians in Galicia
may be the final factor necessary "a
carry Italy into the war. Since the
Austro-G drive across Galicia
from the west began the Slavs have
been unable to hold their lines. They
have lost not only their long main
tanned positions east of Cracow, but
also the territory gained during the
Carpathian battles. The Austrians
and Germans are now approaching
the environs Of Przemysl and there is
very real danger that the Russians
may be expelled entirely from Ga.
licia.
Unler these conditions the Petro-
grad government may be compelled
to make terms with Italy almost I'M
mediately or be prepared 10 forfeit
all the alien territory the Slavs have
won. Russia has been the most Sc
rious stumbling block to 1taly's en-
trance into the war. It is now prac-
tically certain that Austria is willing
to grant Italy extensive territorial
concessions along the Northern Ital-
ian border. Italy, therefore, is in a
position 10 obtain valuable return
for her neutrality. But far more i'm
portant to the Italians than the in
land Trentino and Udine are Istria
and Dalmatia, which forms Austria's s
northern and eastern shores of the
Adriatic
Resistance Supported.
Austria has declined to part with
her Sc al: oard under any considera-
tion, for to do so would be to make
the Hapshurg empire practically an
interior state, certain to decline in
power. To the present time Russia
has supported Austria's resistance
That is to say, Russia has let it be
known she objects to Italian predom-
nance along the Eastern Adriatic
The population of Austria's seaboard
provinces is predominantly Slavonic:.
If Austria is to be broken up as
result of the war Russia wants the
Adriatic to continue to be party Slav
and wants her protege, Servia, to hn
the guardian of this extension o.
pan-Slavism.
Driven Into Corner.
Italy, therefore, has been unable to
make sure that even if her armies
conquered Istria and Dalmatia the
peace conference after the war would
ratify the conquest.
This uncertainty has gTea:'y
strengthened the hands Of the non-
interventionists in Italy and has
probably been the deciding influence
which has kept Italy out CT the war.
Now, however, Russia is being
driven into a corner and an Italian
diversion may prove to be essential
to prevent the most serious Slav
catastrophe of the war. Here may be
Italy's opportunity. Russia's plight
may compel the Allies to give every
assurance Italy desires that what
Italians conquer they can keep. In
this case the last barrier preventing
the Adriatic from becoming an Ital-
ian lake will be reviewed as far as
Roman craftsmanship can foresee
The question of Italy's entrance into
the war will then become one of meas
uring the military considerations and
deciding whether the losses of life
and money compensate for the occu-
patton of Istria and Dalmatia.