The Washington times., 1915-05-30
TENTH MONTH SEES.
ITALY IN GREAT WAR
Kaiser's Forces Confront Fresh
Foe With Army Of 3,O00,-
600 and Big Navy.

Italy's entrance into the war was
the principal event Of the month or
May, the tenth Of the European con-
flict.
| After months OF negotiations II was
considered that the concessions offer
| ed by Austria of ancient Italian terri
tory were not sufficient or the pledges
| thereon not sufficiently guaranteed.
and on May 23 Rome Issued the for
NAL declaration which was to throw
| 5000 600 more soldiers and power
| full navy into the struggle.
The situation then was that Ger
many, Austro- Hungary. and Turkey
| were at war with nine nations-the
British Empire, France, Russia, Italy.
Belgium, Japan, Serbia, Montenegro,
and Portugal. In addition IT was gen.
orally agreed that there was every
| indication that within short time
there would be added against the Teu-
| tonic and Moslem allies Greece. Rou-
| mania and Bulgaria.
1t was throughout a month OF events
and particularly significant for the
| United States. This was not due to
the enormous activity OF the Austro-
| Germans in Galicia. where a charac-
| teristically brilliant drive swept away
| In two weeks all that Russia had
gained In five months. nor on the
western front, where another Ger
man drive launched with perfect mill
tary precision found itself checked at
the ruined gates Of Ypres. nor in the
Dardanelles, where the French and
English land forces found themselves
opposed in the march upon CONSTANT
nople by an effective force. but the
application of the German war zone
principle at sea.
To the destruction OF an American life
| by the sinking OF the British ship
falaba and the attack on the American
| tanker GulHight was added the Lusi-
| tania, which carried down with It at
| least ia American lives, men. women
and little children, all non-combatants
| The ringing note OF President Wilson
| crystallized the American sentiment on
| the rights of neutrals and brought homo
| to the United States the serious pos
| sibilties OF the future.
| The British cabinet crisis. the Bryce
| report on the German atrocities in Bel
| GUM, the anti-German riots of England
| were only side lights beside the fight
! Ing, but their influence was most i'm
| pressiVe.
Italy Denounces "Dreibund.'
| When Italy on May denounced
| the triple alliance she had made with
Germany and Austria in May. lss2 her
| Intervention on the side of the allies
was inevita BILE. 1t was not that Aus
| tria Hungary. one OF the parties sigma
tory to the three part agreement. did
not profess herself willing to make ter
| ritorial concessions. 1t was not that
| promises were not forthcoming. Italy,
| as a matter of fact. could have had
| almost anything promised by the Dual
| Monarchy and Germany on her part
| could have solemnly pledged herself to
see that Austria's word was kept. But
| news than from its wording, It was
! apparent that Italy was by no means
| convinced that these promises would
| be kept.
A sentiment grew steadily throughout
| the kingdom that If Italy wanted the
Trentino. Gradisca. and Goritz the
! Goritz. the islands of tho AdrIatic and
| Trieste she had best fight for them and
| win them. 1t was asserted that the
r. allzatiOn OF the Italian ambition must
| depend upon tho defeat OF those who
| could balk her plans. Therefore, the
war fever spread throughout the coun-
try and finally affected the government
itSelf. Efforts by eX-Premier GiOlotti TO
stem this tide were rewarded by riot
inE early in the month and Giolitti and
his friends were assailed on the streets
| Signor Salandra, the premier, resigned
with his Cabinet around May Is. but a
spontaneous uprising OF the people in
duced the King to refuse the resigna-
tion. When the Italian parliament re-
convened on May 20 amid scenes OF in
tense excitement the chamber OF depu-
tles' by vote OF to l, voted the cab
| met full powers. The senate followed
the next day King Victor Emmanuel
approved at once, and on the fateful
Sunday war was declared
Italians Win Early Battles.
! Up to yesterday the preliminary fight
ing between the Austrians and the Ital-
ians has been in favor of the latter
Austrian airships raided Venice and
other Adriatic ports on May "a but did
little damage. The Italians invaded
austria at three points OF the Friun and
oarniola frontiers by the following day
ana on Thursday they We're reported
swarming through the mountain pa sses
on both sides of the Trentino salient
| driving before them the Austrian gar
Tlsons who had been in the forts guard
lrg the entrance to the Italian Tyrol
| They were marching toward Trieste and
| were within twenty-five and a half
miles OF that goal on Friday. Their air
snlps had penetrated within nine miles
OF that city' dropping bombs on the rail
way station at Nahresina At that time
the Italian and Austrian lines wera al
most in contact at Gradesca and a ger
eral battle was believed to be imminent
An Austrian submarine was sunk FSi.
torpedo boats.
| The action Of Italy was neturalIv
wildly acclaimed in London and Paris
1t was said to close the last avenme
| over which Germany can hone to Oh
tain supplies of any kind The fleets ~
the allies in the North sea and Baltic
have already closed the doors of The
| scandinavian countries, but It Was
known that supplies had been sent
through Italy; Now. 1t was said, that
| door Is closed.
| Speaking in a broad sense. the west
ern battlefront in Belgium, France
! Lorraine. and Alsace show no Essential
| change during the month. AS a matter
| of fact. the line of the first week ~
last December could almost be super
| imposed upon the lire of MAY. n is
still the winding snake-like tran he
ginning at Westende. on the North sea
zigZagging south into France where a.
winds around NoYon and Scissors I'm.
| dulating east to Verdun. where II he
| comes a triangle to take I'm ST. Mihial
| thence cutting back sharply TO los
Menils, whence it curves down to the
| Swiss frontier
Second Battle of Ypres.
Concentrating enormous forces ~
men and artillery around Ypres on
April %. aided this time. it Is asserted
by asphyxlating gases. the Germans he-
| gan n drive which for the time heine
| seriously threatened the allied nositionS
In northern France and Belgium, RS
| May they had successfully drivan ~.