ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

Southland Times, Issue 17533, 9 June 1915, Page 5

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

THE POSITION OP GERMANY AUSTRIA AND HER SACRIFICES THE LAST MAN AND THE LAST THALER (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright}* ROME, June 7. Received June S, 3.25 p.in. II Secolo has interviewed a well-inform-ed personage, who states that the reason Germany has not declared war on Italy is because she first desired to secure an undertaking with Austria that the latter would not conclude a separate peace. The Kaiser will not move against Italy until Austria is committed to sacrifice the last man, the last thaler, and the last inch of territory. On the other hand overtures were recently made to tile Triple Entente, on behalf of the Austrians, who do not wish to sacrifice the dual monarchy to the Kaiser’s pride or their own ruler’s blindness. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS ITALY WILL CO-OPERATE LONDON, June S. Received June S, 5.15 p.in. The Press Bureau reports that Mr K* McKenna’s (Chancellor of the Exchequer! conference with the Italian Treasury has resulted in a resolution to co-operate in the use of financial resources with the same ungrudging spirit as the naval and military forces. THE POSITION OF ALBANIA Albania, which extends from tha southern frontier of Montenegro io the northern boundaries; ■ of Greece, was carved out of the former possessions of Turkey in Europe as the result of the conferences of the Powers after the last Balkan war. The crown was offered in February last to Prince William of Wicd and accepted by him. and the Powers also sent an international Commission of Control to direct the organisation and progress of the country. In September last the Prince had to flee tlie country, the Albanians having from the first resented the way in which tiieir destinies had been decided by outsiders —that is to say, the Powers. Tho Albanian Senate then elected as the country’s ruler Prince Burhan-ed-D:n, one of Abdul Hamid's sons, but Essad Pasha immediately claimed the paramount position. Since September the revolutionary partv has been most active, and the country lias been in a most disturbed condition. Italy recently occupied Valona, to which Greece lias also sent a battleship. The rebels have also threatened Durazzo. north of Valona, and the Italian warships fired a few shots at them while the European colony embarked in an Italian ship.

It lias been slated that Italy’s action in occupying Valona has irritated Germany and Austria, as they bad intended to oiler Iter that port as a bribe for her neutrality.