ITALY AND THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 14

ITALY AND THE WAR.

THE FIRST. ENTHUSIASM WEARING OIT. The war has entered upon its sccond bta<*e for the people of Italy (states the "Manchester Guardian's" Rome correspondent in a reoent dispatch). iho earlier period of bombast and loud enthusiasm has passed away, and the realisation gains ground that talk does not win a war, rnthor sacrifice and pain longdrawn through weeks and months. Already noblo families are m mourning, and many widows and orphans of lessor position-are thrown upon charity. Memorial services are frequent in the churches, and when tho newly called up regiments move off to tho front it is 6ad to seo relatives clinging to the aildiers with passionate embraces in the street —a marked contrast to the earlier attitude. It is a heavy tax that falls on the poor contadini. Instances come before one of bread-winners called off at the critical moment of ploughing and sowing, and either the work is not done or the expense ol' hiring is incurred. General trade is slack, and complaints are rife of tho scarcity- of money. Some, already tired of the * war and its horrors, ask angrily why England does not stop it, believing she could do so at once if she but would. In every way England's attitude has been a sore trial to tho Italians, anil while sensitive to all foreign opinion they havo been peculiarly hurt by English criticism. Under strict censorship and ignorant of what passes in Tripoli, they honestly believe the accounts published in tho foreign press to be calumnies. They have heard only of Arab atrocities inflicted on tho Bersaglieri, and the private accounts brought homo of these are indeed horrible. Of tho Italian sido of affairs in Tripoli the bulk of the people know nothing but of easy and glorious victories, and the press endeavours to provide constant successes, which have the desired effect, even if they have to bo denied afterwards. „ The upper .classes meanwhile search heaven and earth to find good reasons for their war, and discourse of the blessings of civilisation they mean to bestow upon Tripoli, and, above all, the slavery they intend to abolish. Tho Socialist papers, though often very profane 4 speak out plainly. At first also "La Voce," a literary weekly paper, discountenanced the military fever, but later changed its tone, and refused Professor Salvcuiini's contributions. Now that feeling is subsiding "La Voce" has ventured to publish a long and carefully-veiled article on Tripoli, showing in detail how little use this colony can ever be to Italy. If a strong lead were to come from a strong leader there is good hope that a largo party of protest would rally to his banner, and a party might be formed with loftier ideals and purer politics to which the country conld turn in her need in the not far distant day when Giolitti's ill-advised Ministry shall havo fallen.