Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1918. ITALY'S WARNING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1873, 5 September 1918, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1918. ITALY'S WARNING.

AN American ox-Ambassador to Italy (Mr William Potter), revealed a startling: bit of secret history to the Rotary Club (stales the Philadelphia Public Ledger in a recent issue). While summarising what Italy has done for the Allies, he related that he had learned through Government channels when in England at the tragic time of the sinking' ol the Lusitania (May, 1915) that Italy had in July, 191-1, alter the assassination ol the Austrian heir, •appealed to Britain nut to disperse her fleet, then assembled in Home waters lor review. So lar-reaclung and lull ol significance was this fragment ol hidden history that the seal of secrecy was placed upon his lips. But now in the day ol Italy’s supreme testing Ambassador Cellere has removed the seal and this unsuspected record leaps to light, throwing into high relief a whole succession ol vitally important events as a lightning Hash snatches a landscape from darkness. It has always been one of the mysteries of diplomacy why the British Navy did not demobilise after its parade review in the somnolent summer of 1914. In the natural course of events it would have been demobilised and dispersed. The Germans doubtless calculated on this course of action when they timed their surprise attack upon the life of France and the liberties of mankind. They thought that the formidable British fleets, assembled as a spectacle for overseas statesmen, would have been reduced to a peace status and scattered over the seven seas before the German battering ram plunged on its brutal errand towards Paris. In a word,

the naval shield of Britannia would not have been buckled on her arm, and Germany hoped that she might hesitate to rush to the rescue of France and Belgium, But the shield was still in place when Germany struck. It was generally thought a happy chance. Winston Churchill has always got much of the credit for this act of miraculous foresight. But the miracle worker was Italy. Let that never bo forgotten. When we are talking about who should have the credit for parrying that first deadly, dastard blow at France, and the world’s freedom, let us always remember that Italy contributed two factors without which disaster might have come; first, she warned Britain to keep her battle lleet in being, and, second, she immediately relieved France of all anxiety about her Italian frontier, and so released 400,000 men to tight at the immortal Marne. Could we have won —could we have saved ourselves alive —without Italy? Categorical negatives are dangerous. But surely one seems to be justified here. Surely we can say (hat the modern Italian nation, after a mediaeval midnight of feebleness and division, has revived the traditions of splendid Koine, and stood as an indispensable bulwark for the choicest civilisation of its age. Surely we can say that Italy averted a German victory. Now we know that it kept the British Navy ready to take instant command of the sea, thus strengthening the war party in Britain and swiftly smothering German commerce. We have long known that it sent several vitally necessary French army corps to stop the Germans at the Marne. How necessary (hey were we can judge by asking the simple ’question : How many divisions could France have spared at the Marne?