The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 24, 1915. A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2469, 24 May 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, MAY 24, 1915. A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR

Italy's intervention in, the war may now be regarded as cer- ' tain. Though definite news of the actual commencement of hostilities had not been received at time of writing, our cable messages show that a situation has been created which is equivalent to a state of war. Amid a scene of. intense enthusiasm the Italian Senate adopted the War Bill by 262 votes to 2. The unanimity with which this measure was agveed to indicates that now that the time for action has come the nation is resolved to thrust aside all party divisions and to enter into the struggle as a united people, determined to subordinate all sectional interests and opinions ■ to the one supreme task of defeating the country's enemies. The passing of the Bill has been followed by the ■ mobilisation of the land and sea foi'ces. • The Italian Ambassador was expected to leave Berlin on Saturday, and preparations are being rapidly completed for their first clash of the opposing armies. Italy's action in throwing in her lot with the Allies has led to an outburst of fierce anger in Germany. The Kaiseh and his advisers are well aware that one of the turning points of the war has been reached. They realise the tremendous importance . of Italy's decision from the military point of view, and that its economic consequences will be almost as serious, for it will close one of the few rem,lining doors through which Germany and Austria can get into communication with the outside world. The grip on their throats is They recognise that their position has been made more desperate than ever. Threats and promises have failed to keep tlio Italians out of the. fray, and now the Germans arc bestowing upon their new opponents some of the hatred which they have hitherto been showering so lavishly on thepeoplo of the British Empire. _ Fortunately Germany's power to injure is not so unlimited as her capacity for hating. Italy has been making ready for the conilict for some time past. An Italian business man in London, who has been called upon to join the army, declares that three million men are in readiness, and that a million of them are already _ on the Austrian frontier. Italy's intervention may be expected to lessen very materially the duration of the struggle. Many people nave been inclined to expect -too much from Italy. They have been impatient at her hesitation, and havo felt that she has been thinking too much about her interests and not enough about her honour. But in order to be fair to Italy we must look at the position from her point of view. She has had to solve an extremely difficult and delicate problem. Her action in breaking away from Austria and Germany at the beginning of the war was of great value to the Allies. Since then the question of giving active assistance to the enemies of her former partners in the Triple Alliance has been continuously before the public, Italian opinion was at first rather evenly divided on this all-important point, but the view steadily gained ground that both the honour and the interest of the nation required Ibat it should enter the ranks of the belligerents on the side of the Entente Powers. The demand for intervention became so insistent and so overwhelming that the Government was compelled to act, arid now Italy is going to war as a practically united nation. In his History of the War, Mil. John Bitchan remarks that "of all the neutral Powers the action of Italy was most vital to the struggle, for she held a strategical position on the flank of both combatants. Her intervention on behalf of her colleagues of the Triple Alliance would menace the French right wing ; andif she joined the Allies she could tinn the Austrian left, while her licet would establish a crushing superiority against Austria in the Mediterranean/' The taunt that she has been waiting to see which way the title of war was going to turn and then to rush to the help of the conqueror is not a just inter-' prclation of her policy, liven while she maintained an attitude of neutrality I he sympathies of most nf her people were in favour of the Allies. Mr. Both.ix reminds us that "all the elements in Italian life wbfcb wr. ir<?. ACr.Ußtomrfl to rata Juxh, the idealists, the inheritors.

oi the JLizzJNi tradition, were arrayed against German pretensions. Many old 'red shirts' volunteered for the French and British scrvioe, and more than one descendant or kinsman of Gambahji was to give his life for tho Allies' cause." Italy's old friendship for Britain has now decisively asserted itself, and it will be deepened and strengthened by the co-operation of the two nations ill the task of vanquishing the common foe. Italy's action is snre to have a powerful influence upon the Balkan States. It has been stated on good I authority that Rumania has already agreed to act in concert with Italy. The existence of such an agreement is supported by the announcement that Rumania has now mobilised almost the whole of her army. A leading Italian newspaper recently declared that the impression was deepening in circles closely in touch with the Government that Rumania's entry into the field had already been decided upon and was imminent. The Rumanian people are in favour of intervention; the army is well equipped, and its fighting spirit is keen. The uncertainty about the intentions of Bulgaria has been one of the chief reasons for the hesitation of Rumania. Bulgaria cannot easily forget he°r defeat by Servia, but negotiations have been going on with the object of bringing about an agreement between these two States and establishing a new Balkan League, which would join with tho Allies in their fight against the Germans, the Turks, and the Austrians. If Rumania decides on war Greece will almost certainly follow her example, and then Bulgaria would be compelled to show her hand. A cablegram which we publish to-day states that a~ British destroyer has put in at a Bulgarian port, and the commander has paid a visit to the head of tho Bulgarian troops. In view of present happenings this incident mußt be regarded as of some significance. Events' may now develop quickly, and it is quite possible that before many days go by there will be more than one addition to the activc enemies of Ciermany and her dupes.