ITALY.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13772, 8 May 1915, Page 6

ITALY.

YON BULOW'S EFFORTS.

FAILURE NOT FINAL-.

POSITION SHROUDED IN MYSTERY

London, May 5

' ft is officially stated that Prince >yon Bulow's. dfljorts have not yet finally failed* Italy's position and intentions remain shrouded in mystery, but conflicting East European rumours assert lier readiness to intervene in favour of the Allies, and allege that the conversations with Austria have definitely ceased. A German deputation is reported to be interviewing the Pope. Tnid is regarded as the final effort to ensure neutrality? Tho Italian .Ambassaricr in London declares there is no nenvs from Rome leading him to believe that intervene tion is imminent. He reports that tho prediction of Italy's intervention on the- 15th had not official sanction. The French Press is discussing apprehensions concerning Serbo-Italian relations regarding the reported Italian claim to tho Adriatic regions, where 90 per cent, of the population are Slavs. The newspapers do not believe that Italy desires, to have upon her hands populations unalterably hostile, to her. Such annexation would be a, political mistake of incalculable im- j portance. A correspondent in North Italy states that evei-ything he has heard and seen; leads him to believe- that an AustroTtalian war is inevitable as soon as the conditions permit. • : Germans long resident in Italy are j daily departing to Switzerland. There is abundance of evidence in Milan that public opinion is "strongly in favour of the Allies. Portraits of Sir John French and General Joffre are placed in the shop windows alongside satirical caricatures of the- Kaiser. There are signs of the war spirit everywhere. The decision to reopen the Italian Parliament on May 12th caused surprise. It was previously thought that it would not be opened until a reply i Announced either the success of the Austro-Italian negotiations or a denunciation of Austro-Gerinany. The Cabinet has decided on the normal ecserciso of Parliamentary functions, and the result is that greater calm prevails.