The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-28

OF the Triple alliance and itafys re-
fusal to night on the side of the Teu-
tonic powers, namely the Balkans. In
August. 1914, she gave as one of her
reasons the fact that Austria's ac-
ton against Serbia tended to upset
the status she wished to see maintain
ed. The Balkans for the Balkan
peoples" Today she draws the sword
on Germany principally to be able to
take an active part in the mainten-
ance of a campaign by which the en-.
tente powers propose to reconquer
Serbia.
Allies Had Appealed Before.
Once before the allies had appealed
to Italy to take a hand in the Bal
kans. AT that. however. Italy refused.
1t was in october of last year. when
England and France sought to make
good their promises to save Serbia
from being overrun by the combined
Teuton and Bulgarian armies. Italians
and her forces were tied UP In the
Trentino and Albania, and she trust
ed the allies would rectify their own
mistakes. Since then the entente
powers have thrown the Teutonic
powers on the defensive attitude on all
fronts. and in this Italy took a part
by her vigorous offensive on the Ison-
10 The military situation has chang
tons are not nearly favorable for
Germany as last fail is believed to be
the explanation for Italy's latest move.
AS was the case before Italy de-
clared war on Austria. the strangest
rumors and reports attended the con-
tinuance of official peace between
Italy and Germany. Prior to May, 1915,
the story was generally believed that
King Victor Emmanuel had given En-
Egop pis 4
never to fight the dual monarchy. He
would sooner abdicate. 1t was said.
than break mis- word.
Hint of Secret Treaty.
The prediction of republic of
Italy" did not come true, however
When Italy. in the face of the tremen-
dous pressure on the part OF the en-
tente powers. moral and otherwise, re-
fused to break with Germany, the
theory becomes general that a secret
treaty existed between the two ma
lions.
The fact that open war has not
come sooner between the two former
allies Is attributed chiefly to the diplo-
matte activities of Prince Bernhard
Won Buelow, former Imperial German
chancellor. who, through his marriage
with an Italian noblewoman and his
many devoted friends at King Victor
Emmanuels court, had probably more
influence at Rome than any other Eu-
ropean statesman. Though unable to
avert an Italo- austrian war, he sue
ceeded In prevailing upon Italy to avoid
a break with Germany. Direct diplo-
matte intercourse was broken when he
left Rome. His efforts were feverish-
" Combatted by the entente powers
Frequent visits were made by French
and English statesmen. Even Premier
Asqulth went to Rome last April
Motives behind Action.
The traditional friendship between
the Italian and French governments
and peoples, sealed permanently by
Italian support for French designs in
Morocco and by French support for
ltaly's designs against Turkey in
Tripoli. coupled with the equally as
traditional suspicion and fear of Aus
tro-Hungary and the avidity of certain
territorials formerly Italian, were
chiefly responsible for Italy's action
early In the war and for her war on
Austria, Her partial economic de-
tendency on ngland-especially as re-
CARDS coal-and the favorable develop
ment of the military situation from
the entente point OF view are the prin-
cipal motives behind her break with
Germany.
This development has imhued her