The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1910. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 939, 5 October 1910, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1910. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

'A oableqkam from- Rome to •' Aus-' tralian newspapers, dated ten. days ago, is responsible for the information . that several press: correspondents had been led to believe—on the familiar, "good authority"—that the Triple Alliance had beeri renewed for another period of six years. Further,'the protocol' was to be signed 'at the now: historic Racconigi on October 1. That; information :,has not yet 1 been confirmed. . Italy's attitude towards both her allies, more especially towards'Austria-Hungary, : has; for 'the past' two years, made the future of this notable alliance,, extremely problematical; Not only has. it been declared that, Italy would withdraw;.it was also averred that peace would not be.preserved between- her -and Austria-Hungary. Indeed,, only a few weeks .ago the London "Morning !Post is < found commenting in a/somewhat, pessimistic vein on the' European situation and proclaiming: "There can be little 'doubt t;hat the Italians "and 'Austrians are entering upon ..a war of armaments directed against each other." It has; long been predicted that Italy would link its future and its fortunes with Russia.. Count Aerenthal's forceful, though wayward, methods of diplomacy,' his peculiar interpretation of the ] Isvolsky negotiations, and his defiance/of the Powers'/ by the annexation /of Bosnia 'and Herzegovina, compelled Russia and Italy to/seek counsel and' aid";of ieach other, for' the .mutual, protection Yof- : their interests; .'The meeting •of Tsar Nicholas and' Kino Vict6r Emmanuel,,at Racconigi.'•' in. October- last year, was a remarkable event,, one not 'by. any. means .unprecedented 'in ."the; annals /of ■■, diplomacy, ' but noteworthy'in a high degree, by 'reason: of-'.its .cause ,and : its 'object. .Austria-Hungary brought the Sovereigns /together, 'and' i their .object was the devising'of means/ to :.check,. or": cquhteract, the'''restless; 1 aihd, to them, ( -'unscrupulous, ■ ambitions' of./ Italy's/ally/ or,/more 'cor-, : rectlyv j.'o'.f :< Count , Aeren'thal. . 'An' ; Italo-Russian entente / was tho ■ dut-. come of|: the', Racconigi : '..conference, : and;'it/.was-believed : that the.. Triple ' was about to assume,/the' dimensions of a Quadruple 'entente ;by the 'formal. adhesion of Italy: to 'Russia,,- Fr.ance, and G'reat.'Britaih.. Italy ; became ,-a i unit' wjthin ''■'- the Triple' Alliance more -from- necessity than from,choice. " Bismarck, 'then dominated ■ Central Europe.' Brus-, sia 'had/'defeated the ' Austrians; ; at •Sadowa;-:and less than ; fifteen years afterwards: Bismarck found it neces(sary for the fruition of his plans to enter into an alliance of friendship with his''/country's. former , enemy. Italy realised the fact that within' the alliance, she would, be safe from the unwelcome' attentions, of her two powerful neighbours. Doubtless she could have, done .'better, -and .the alliance seems.from'her side to-have proved a somewhat* disappointing | bargain.' Italy. at,.the : outset.'-was to second:Austria-Hungary in,the,Bal- ; kans, :and.;.-.'■ in return' //Austria 1 Hungary and Germany were tb : support Italy in': "Mediterranean 'af-, fairs." .Policies that were somehow ineffective may then have'been under contemplation touching the Mediterranean and. its future, but ' ! if' so. Italy's two, allies were altogether incapable of governing any great 'international issue affecting those regions. The supreme Power' there was Great Britain, 'and, after Great Britain, France.- King- Victor Emmanuel's 'country./ has Austria resting on its north-eastern frontier, a : geographical fact : which; tb/;many of his people is■'. an' ever-present menace to the integrity, of -Italy. For this reason the, .Italo-Russian entente created a feeling of greater confidence in the minds of '-the'. Italian people, rightly considering, as they did, that Austria-Hungary' would direct no enterprises .against Italy if those enterprises risked the precipitation, of Russia- her borders. This understanding between Italy and Russia l aims at maintaining the status quo} in [other .words, to prevent further aggressions on the part of the authorities at .Vienna. Turkey, .the. world has been informed, was about to cast in ' its lot with , -Germany and' Austria-Hungary. That intention, as Mr._ J. L. Garvin /tersely observes in the, Fortnightly lteview,.'is ;'a matter which the Young Turks must settle . for themselves. It is useless, he thinks,. to' suggest. that Turkey owes a special debt of gratitude to England and to France, because, if the circumstances of two years ago are forgotten, to remind would be only to irritate the Young Turks. ~'"'■ . : -

Great Britain's ally, Japan, six months ago, was declared to have been won over to the Triple Alliance. The new treaty, said reports from the.: Continent, was .ready for signature, and would effect when the Anglo-Japanese. Treaty expired in 1915. That there havo been diplomatic pourparlers betwixt; Japan and the signatories to the. Triple Alliance is highly probable; that Japan ever contemplated -joining that alliance must surely be considered as most improbable. But the recently - 'signed Russo - Japanese agreement settles that question dofinitely, and for probably many years to come. Japan, Russia, France,'and Great Britain arc now joined together., To discover indications that Japan' meditates : abari'-' donitifr the treaig .with' Great Bri-

tain would be a task of considerable difficulty. In fact, the signs all point in a direction, quite the opposite to this. 'There is, for example, Count Okuma's notable contribution to the London Times in July this year, entitled "The Spirit of New Japan." The Count expresses' profoundest gratitude towards England.. He fully acknowledges- "the special debt Japan has contracted to Anglo-Saxon civilisation." Japan, according to Count Okuha, is not bent on the invasion of her ally's territories, either Australia, or. New Zealand. ."Japan," he says,. "has no other thoughts whatever than to contribute towards the peace of the world by her' own example, land by endeavouring to secure harmony between the Eastern and the Western civilisations." The Russo-Japanese Agreement: is an instrument of, as yet, unknown potentiality. , It will affect and counterbalance the powers of the' Triple Alliance. What constituent changes that union may undergo remains to be discovered. But Russia, free from anxieties concerning the Par East, may be "expected in the hear : future to resume., her' former position in the Balkans. At the moment.-the attitude of Turkey towards Greece .is causing serious 'anxiety.: Should war break out, it may lead to unpleasant complications for other European Powers, in. which the Triple Alliance y is certain to play a. prominent part.