The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1914. ITALY’S POSITION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 38, 1 October 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1914. ITALY’S POSITION.

There is in a recent issue ox "La Inbuna”—one of the most milncnvul of Italian newspapers—an avt.c.e explaining the position of Italy in regard to the war. ‘‘Before anything else,” it is 'early explained, “the triple Alliance has nothing to do with the causes and aims declared in tins war. “The Alliance,” the article goes on, “has not been made to revenge political crimes or for punishing the guilty; nor has it been made to suppress or transform nationality and sovereignty more or less implicated in those crimes. The treaty is a diplomatic law, not a penal law, and it can never, have a penal law fun Axon The Treaty of Alliance was created for peace. But after the treaty had been in force for 35 years,” s.ays the writer, “one day Austria sends an .ultimatum to Servia; and Germany, against everybody, stands by the side of Austria and supports this ultimatum. War bursts. What has Italy to do with it? Italy gets notice of the ultimatum of Austria, and the two ultimatums of Germany agaoi't Russia and France, just as does any other Power that is foreign to He Triple Alliance. And along w ; th such notice she gets an invitation to go into the held along with Germany and Austria. How? WW for. Against whom? In pursuance,of wha* act of proper or collective responsibility?” It is urged cogently that the making of war is a very serious matter, and that those who make it musr, discuss it and rediscuss : t together All must concur if all are to participate. • And, it is pointed out, a

treaty that would permit two parties to it to decide and a third to execute would be a treaty of vassalage of the third as regarded tho other two. That was not the intention the Triple Alliance. Therefore, it is‘ argued, the fact that Germany and Austria decided on war without thp advice of Italy, is a proof that they were conscious that tho war which they had matured and brought about was not in their conception the war of the Triple Alliance, but “the war of the Double Alliance, of that Alliance, Austro-German, that was founded in 1879, which has its law and its basis with the treaty of the same year, the treaty of defence against Russia.” By way of confirming this view that Germany and Austria knew that the war had nothing to do with Italy, the writer of the article calls attention to the fact that they chose for the opening of hostilities a time most opportune for their military preparations, but most inopportune for Italy, which is only now coming out of a war which has tried her army and bled her finances. Tinally this is said with some emphasis: “If there is no responsibility in th j decision of tho war there cannot be any participation in tbe action. Not by our fault nor by our will are all the nations of Europe to-day engaged in tbe most tremendous war that tin history of man can recall.”