The Tomahawk., 1915-06-03
why ITALY DEC JARED 4. WAR
iTALYS NOTE TO NEUTRALS RE-
--t VIEWS NEGOTIATIONS.
Claims Austria Disturbed Equilibrium
of Balkans and Peace Of Europe
Affected italian interests.

Washington, May 27.-Italy has ad-
dressed to the neutral governments Of
the world lengthy communication ex-
planning her reasons for declaring
war on Austria, Count Di Cellere, the
italian ambassador, presented the
document to Secretary Bryan in the
form OF note to the United States
government.
1t reviews negotiations between
Italy and Austria, revealing that they
began Immediately upon the dispatch
OF Austria's ultimatum to Serbia. Italy
claimed that the action of Austria dis
turbed the peace Of Europe in a way
that vitally affected Italian interests.
AS an ally OF Austria, Italy asserts the
right to have been consulted before
the sending OF the ultimatum, the first
news of which was received through
the newspapers.
War Is Only Means.
Failing to obtain through diplo.
macy the satisfaction of her territorial
and national aspirations, Italy an
nounces in the note that declaration
NA "eAA "eIo IAC OAly "cdAS OL Sol y
guarding her position in Europe.
The text Of the note as translated
and issued by the Italian embassy fol-
lows:
The Triple Alliance was essentially
defensive and designed solely to pre-.
serve the status quo or, in other words,
the equilibrium in Europe. That these
were it's only objects and purposes is
established by the letter and spirit Of
the treaty as we'll as by the intentions
clearly described and set forth in Of
1iclal acts OF the ministers who Great
ed the alliance and confirmed and re-
| neWed it in the interest of peace,
| which always has inspired Italian pol-
icy.
Treaty for Peace.
The treaty, as long as it's intents
| and purposes had been Loyalty inter
preted and regarded and as long as it
| had not been used as a pretext for
aggression against others, greatly con.
| trlbuted to the elimination and set
tlement of causes of conflict, and for
many years assured to Europe the
| lnestimable benefits of peace.
But Austro-Hungary severed the
| treaty by her own hands. She reject.
ed the response of Serbia, which gave
to her all the satisfaction she could
| legltlmately claim. She refused to list
en- to the conciliatory proposals pre-.
sented by Italy, in conjunction with
other powers, in the effort to spare
Europe from a vast conflict certain to
| drench the continent with blood and
to reduce it to ruin beyond the CON
ceptlon of human imagination, and
finally she provoked that conflict.
Provoked European War.
Thus Austro-Hungary violated be-
yond doubt one of the fundamental
provisions of the treaty. The obliga-
t1on of Austro-Hungary to come to a
previous understanding with Italy,
was the greater because her obstinate
policy against Serbia gave rise to q
situation which directly tended to the
provocation of European war.
Ihe Italian government taking
into consideration what has been
stated above and supported by the
vote OF Parliament and the solemn
manifestation of the country came to
the decision that any further DELAY
would be inadvisable. Therefore on
May 23 it was declared in the name
OF the King to the Austro-Hungarian
ambassador at Rome that beginning
tomorrow, May "a, it will consider
itself in state of war with Austria
hungary. Orders to this effect also
were telegraphed to the Italian am
bassador at Vienna"