The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-05-21
Italy and the War

n FTER months of bargaining, Italy now has
"A crossed the Rubicon and is committed to war
with her former allies of the Triple Alliance This
must mean the beginning of the end for Austria
and Germany.
Italy's decision, first to stand aloof from the
cause of her Teuton allies and now to enter the
arena as an active ally of the Powers of the En-
tente demonstrates anew the errors into which the
diplomats of Germany have led their country.
Despite present day charges that the war was in
stigated by Great Britain, all the diplomatic re-
ports issued by the beigerents in the early weeks
of the conflict indicate the ante bellum belief held
in Germany that Great Britain would remain neu-
trail, while Italy was, counted upon to throw the
weight of her armies against France. =, b., * e.
lust the opposite is now the case and the ex-
posed southern flank OF Austria is to be attacked
by the very troops which Berlin and Vienna ex-
pected to march against Paris via Lyons.
The attitude taken by Italy at the very COM
mencement of hostilites has furnished the cham
pions of the Entente with their most potent argu-
ment that the aggressors in this conflict were Aus
tria and Germany. The terms of the Triple ALI
ance bound Italy to align herself with Austria and
Germany in the event of attack upon either of
those countries, and the fact that Rome refused
to take the field was based on the ground that
the aggression came from Austria against SerVla,
with the sanction of Germany, forcing Russia and
France into the conflict which Great Britain Joined
upon the invasion of Belgium.
Italy, according to the various comments which
appear in the British White Paper and the French
Yellow Book in correspondence antedating the
actual outbreak of hOstilitieS, not consulted
in any way by Austria or Germany in the negOtia-
tons with Servia, which precptated the war.
Jules CambOn, French ambassador in Berlin mott
fed his government on July Is, week prior to
the invasion of Belgium, that the Italian ambassa-
dor at Berlin had no knowledge of the Servian ut-
matum. 1T would appear that Italy is much sur
prised, to say nothing stronger, at having been
kept out Of the whole affair" wrote M. Cambon,
while the French ambassador in Rome, writing
On July H. reported to his government:
The Marquis di San Giuliano Qtalan min
lister of foreign affairs) returned to Rome this
evening and | saw him Immediately after his
arrival. He spoke to me of the contents of the
Austrian note and assured me that he had no
previous knowledge OF them whatever. y
He replied I'm way have been con
suited; we have been told nothing whatever"
On August l. the Italian foreign minister mott
fed the German ambassador at Rome that Italy
would not enter the war as an ally of Austria
because the war was of an aggressive character
and was not in accordance with the purely defen-
siVe character of the Triple Alliance"
During the early weeks of the war, according
to the reports sent out, Berlin threatened
Italy with punishment should the latter Power
persist in her attitude of neutrality. During the
past several months, Count Won Bueow has been
in Rome attempting to purchase continued Italian
neutrality but Vienna refused to pay the price
rendered by the representative of the Kaiser,
To-day finds Italy ranged with the active enemies
of Germany The alliance failed the early threats
failed and the attempts to buy Italian neutrality
have failed. Italy, from being the expected ally
Of Austria and Germany has turned out to be the
foe that will in all probability turn the balance
against them and bring the war to comparatively
speedy end with Vienna and Berlin suing for
peace.