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Press, Volume LII, Issue 15488, 15 January 1916, Page 8

Owing to the world-wide extent of the war it is very difficult to follow each of its varying phases. Most of us are more or less in the dark as to the progress of the struggle between Austria and Italy, whit;h in ordinary times would have been sufficient to rivet the attention of the whole world. A wellinformed correspondent of "The Times" has beeeu throwing some much-needed light upon the subject. Like England. Italy has suffered the disabilities attaching to a democratic country iu going to war. The writer in "The Times" states that the Italians might have inflicted an immediate and irreparable disaster on the Austrians had not the declaration of war been delated by the political intrigues of Signor Giolitti. As soon a s Signor Salandra had exposed the object of Signor Giolitti's manoeuvres—to come to terms with Italy's traditional enemy—the country turned against Giolitti and insisted on war, but in the meanwhile most valuable time had been lost. Between May 4th and May 23rd Austria

had poured on the Italian front ovcrv man she could spare. Cemented trenches, gun emplacements, and strategic roads liad been prepared beforehand, and by May 23rd moro than three hundred thousand Austrians had been placed in position. Signor Giolitti had done his friends the Austrians invaluable service, and rendered inevitable the sacrifice of many, many thousands of his bravo countrymen. At the present time tho fall of Goritzia seems in sight, and when it is captured the Italians will not only have opened the rood to Trieste, but will have gained control of all the roads leading towards Villach and Libach. The Austrians are believed to havo 700,000 men on this front, and General Cadorna "*vell over a million. There is no doubt that tho Italian operations have greatly helped tho Aliies in other theatres of tho war. The writer attributes directly to these operations the relaxation of the Austrian effort in Galicia and the Bukovina and the postponement of tho invasion of Serbia, which was originally planned to tako placo at the beginning of July.

One of the most puzzling and anomalous features in connexion with the war is tho fact that hitherto there has been no open conflict between Germany and Italy. The writer in "The Times" throws some light on this also. He points out that when Baron Sonnino instructed the Italian Ambassadors at Vienna and Berlin to denounce the Triple Alliance and to declare that from May 4th Italy would resume her liberty of action, he probably expected that the Central Powers would reply by an immediate declaration of war. Nothing of the kind happened, and Italy was obliged to continue her move by declaring war on Austria. The German Press howled against Italian'"perfidy," but the German Government has been scrupulously careful not to commence hostilities. It is suggested in "The Times" that Italy, for her part, may well have thought that a declaration of war against a nation which she was not in a position to attack, since there is no common frontier, would seem a useless demonstration. However, Baron Sonnino may have thought perhaps that it would be wiser to wait until Germany should send her Army Corps to support tho Austrians on tho Alpino " front. But hoic.again for reasons of her own, was careful not to give Italy any overt causo for action. No German Army Corps or even battalions, were sent to the Trentino front, but it is known that several hundred German non-commissioned officers, together with some thousands of men were drafted into Austrian regiments as stiffening, and it is certain German soldiers and non-commissioned officers are fighting as Austrians with the Austrian troops. Many of them have been killed, and many of tliem made pri-'. soners, some of them still wearing German uniforms. All of them, however, carried in their pockets an extraordinary official document, in which the German military authorities declared that Private A., Sergeant 8., or Officer C, had been discharged from service with the German Army at his own written request, and had obtained permission to serve as a volunteer in the Austrian Army.

Evidently, therefore. Germany is determined to .resort to any ■ subterfuge rather than involve herself in war with Italy if she can help it. It is not difficult to understand some of the reasons by which she is probably influenced. "Wo recently showed how thoroughly the Germans had insinuated themselves into the commerce, industries, and financial interests of Italy. It is estimated that German economical interests in .Italy represent a capital value of something like a hundred million pounds. It is suggested, therefore, that the German Government are anxious not to jeopardise this property by a declaration of war which could not affect the general military situation. Probably also the Germans, looking ahead, and foreseeing that the Allies will endeavour after the war, as "The Times" puts it, "to build a breakwater against German trade," wish to keep intact at least the Italian market. There are also a large number of Gorman steamers in Italian ports, which Germany would be glad to preservo for commercial use after the war. Finally, ifc is suggested that Germany desires to maintain in the camp of the Allies a certain contact with one of the Allied nations in order to conserve a kind of bridge over which proposals for peace might eventually pass. Certain it is that Germany is abstaining from making war against Italy entirely with a view to what she believes j to be her own interest. How long the present anomalous situation will suit Italy is another matter, and will depend to a large extent upon what she decides to do in regard to the operations in the Balkans and the subsequent developments.