The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. ITALY AND THE WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15455, 18 September 1914, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. ITALY AND THE WAR.

Since the war began rumours have been persistent 1 hut public opinion in Italy would, before long-, force the Italian Government lo take part in it on the side of the Allies. The Italian Government has preserved a very friendly neutrality towards, the Allies/ The at'titude of the people lias been more than friendly: their sympathies are with France and .Britain, ami >t has become ever plainer to them thai the interests of Italy require that she should give active help to litem in this struggle. When Italy refused to join Germany and Austria in an assault on ihe liberties of Europe she acted

strictly in accordance with the terms of the Triple Alliance, which bound her to assist those Powers in a defensive, Init not in an offensive war. The two aggressors in the present conflict have done their best to make her join them, first by promises and then by threats, but the support not given when the war began is most unlikely to be rendered now, when both of them have shown that they are quite incapable of carrying the hostilities which they provoked to a successful issue. Germany, between the Russian pressure on the one side and the French and British on the ether, would know better what to do if she could tell precisely which forces were the hammer and which the anvil. Their functions are, in fact, interchangeable. Austria, retreating from a wall of Russians, has to fall back upon a wedge of Servians. Wall and wedge press on inexorably from their opposite directions. A courageous disposition would be needed to assist Powers fighting under such conditions. Italy knows, moreover, that whatever she does now, if Germany should by any chance emerge victorious from this struggle, she would never forgive her for withholding her assistance at the start. That would be an injury to be punished by the _ tyrant at the earliest opportunity. JSTor would any promises of forgiveness which Germany might make beforehand be worth the paper they were written on, after the way in which she has violated other pledges.

The only question Italy can consider is whether she will continue her neutrality or join forces with France and Britain. The question is not of vital importance to the Allies. They have the present situation well in hand, and though Italy's participation might do much to hasten the conclusion of the war it would not alter its result. If Italy sent no troops to France, she would injure Germany severely by depriving her of another source of food supplies, and thus extending the effects of the blockade which the British Navy is maintaining in the North Sea. Paris has not yet been besieged, but to a very real extent Germany is being besieged by the British Navy, and the press\xre of that siege must be more effectual than a whole series of victories in the field. Europe will be a safer place for Italy when Germany, the Power whom she has mortally offended, is made harmless". Brit why Italy assist in that process, which is going on so well without her help? The Italian people give the. answer frankly, when all classes join in resolutions "urging the Government to take action lest they lose the chance of extending the national boundaries." The Italians want to have again the Italy, they used to have across the Adriatic. It would-be a rude shock to them if the result of this war should be to give part of that territory to Servia and Montenegro, Powers already in the field. Apart from such fears Italy, even as a neutral country, would have much to lose from a protracted war, and it is in her power to shorten this one. She was tricked into the Triple Alliance thirty years ago by the deceitful policy of Germany, the 1 full extent of whose unscrupulousness has only recently been demonstrated to the "world, but her natural sympathies must be with France, a Latin country like herself, and Britain, whose friendly feelings towards Italy have been maintained for more than three hundred years. It is natural to suppose, indeed, that if Britain was being hard pressed in this war Italy would be much inclined to aid her,, apart from all considerations of self-interest. Mazzini, Cavoxir, Garibaldi, the authors of Italian freedom, were almost as much worshipped in Great Britain as in Italy. The Italians know how much they owed in that great struggle to British help and sympathy. When an Italian force was cut xip in Abyssinia Britain promptly applied pressure to the Mahdists of the Soudan to restrict the consequences of that defeat. Landor, Swinburne, Browning, Meredith, Trevelyani, to name only a few later distinguished Englishmen, have paid almost as much, honour to Italy as to Great Britain. " When I die Open my heart and you\will see Graved inside of it ' Italy.' : ' \vrote Browning, and the affection lias been felt, less ardently, by thousands of his countrymen, and reciprocated by the Italian people. If -\ve do not have Italy's help in this war we shall assuredly have her best wishes.