ITALY'S SACRIFICES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 56, 8 March 1919, Page 14

ITALY'S SACRIFICES

HALF A MILLION DEAD.

Five hundred thousand Italians lost their lives in the war. Of this number 200,000 were killed in action.

This statement was made by Salvatore Barzailai, former member of the Italian Cabinet, who accompanied King Victor Emmanuel to Paris, in explaining Italy's sacrifices and her claim to territories previously held by the enemy. Signor .Barzailai said: '

"On the eve of the Peace Conference, where Italy must claim the territories due to her for reasons of nationality, it is well that the world should know the sacrifices sustained by her. ' "Italy lost 500,000 dead. To those actually killed'in battle must be added 300.000 who died of disease, particularly malaria, contracted in Albania, Macedonia, and along the Piave. The severely wounded numbered 300,000, while 500,----000 of the 5,000,000 called to the colours were made prisoner. "The enormity of her sacrifices makes Italy more exacting in demanding restitution of the regions along the Eastern Adriatic, which Austria oppressed for a_ century and attempted to denationalise, and also places her in the vanguard of the movement to prevent future wars. Having once obtained what you might call the doors to her own house, Italy adheres to a League of Nations, having as a corollary freedom of the seas.

"Italy's war expenses reached 65,----000,000,000 lire (about £2,500,000,000), which will be increased to 80,000,000,000 lire through pensions 'and other financial burdens consequent on the war," said Signer Barzailai in conclusion. "All this must be deducted from Italian wealth. Few other belligerents underwent such privations."