ITALY'S GREAT INFLUENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 36, 29 September 1914, Page 4

ITALY'S GREAT INFLUENCE.

When the question of war was still in the balance the London Spectator wrote:—"ls it still possible to avoid the outbreak of a funeral war ? We believe there is still one way left. War can now be stopped only by force 01 the threat of force, and, by a strange irony, it* is the least strong and, least populous of the great European Powers which can exercise this force. If, even at tho eleventh hour, Italy were to tell her two colleagues in tho Triple Alliance that if they did not agree to a peaceful solution of the present crisis she will not only leave the Triple Alliance, but will pass over to the other side, ally herself with the Powers of tho Triple Entente, and form with them a Quadruple Alliance in tho interests of peace, we believe that Aus-tria-Hungary must yield. In proof of this one has only to think what it would mean for Italy to throw in her lot with the Entente. It would mean that the Italians would move on the Brenner, the Trentino, the Austrian Tyrol, and Trieste, and that Austria-Hungary must either abandon these regions or else wage a war with throe fronts—with Sovvia on her eastern borders, with Italy on the south, with Russia on the north, while at fche same time Roumania attacked Transylvania, and a Franco-British squadron overawed the Fstrian and Dalmatian coasts. Such I pressure Austria-Hungary could not

resist. The results of action by Italy such as we have sketched could only he described as tremendous. She could be expected to take such a course only if she received from Britain, Russia and France the most absolute guarantee that they would protect her fully from Germanic and Austro-Hmi-garian aggression now and in the future. This may seem at first sight too perilous for Italy, but., after all.i would not such a guarantee be better than the present precarious guarantee that Austria-Hungary "will go on loving her" —for this in reality is all that Italy lias got. Italy cannot forget that the Brenner always lies open, and that the growth of Austro-Hungariaa sea power is a terrible menace to bet as long as she is grouped with the Powers hostile to those who command the sea and who could therefore protect her. Tins is a danger infinitely greater now that Italy has Tripoli than it was a year or two ago. Italy's position is necessarily one of terrible anxiety, but as her friends we believe that if sh<; had the courage to strike the blow for peace which we have indicated she would not only achieve her end and secure peace, but would raise herself to a position of the first importance and power. She would have laid the world under an obligation. We shall be told, of course, that our view is fantastic, and that Italy will never dare to do anything of the kind. That may be, but that is hot a reason for our refraining from pointing out what she might do, could do, and must succeed in doing, if she had the nerve to undertake the task."