The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, MAY 21, 1915. ITALY’S INTERVENTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 20, 24 May 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, MAY 21, 1915. ITALY’S INTERVENTION.

The much-desired intervention of Italy on the side of the right and honour has come at last despite the desperate efforts of her false friends to bribe her from the straight path of duty. There was, in fact, no other course open, for Italy has seen enough already of German falsehood to know that no promise made to her at this juncture would he sacred, and the redemption of her stolen provinces could only be hy a war in which she won them hack with the aid of the Allies. AertainK the intervention, late as it is, opens up prospects ns satisfactory to Britain, France and Russia as they must he distressing to the Austro-Turco-Gerraan brigands. There is some douht as to the exact war strength of ftalv, hut there is reason to believe it is greater than the statements so far published have shown. If, as an Italian business man in London, who was leaving to join the colours at his country’s call assorts, Italy has thiee million men ready mobilised, the Huns will get another surprise in this colossal campaign of magnificent surprises. Utterly lacking in humour as they are in decency, the Germans have turned their hate nozzle on to Italy, and are praying—“ God punish Italy.” If the rest of the world can laugh at such a time how it must laugh at such feeblo-minded-fnlly emanating from “knltnr.” The Austrian Foreign Minister’s Note to the Italian Ambassador at Vienna is another instance of failure to appreciate the position, and it is indeed humorous on his part to decline to take cognisance of the denunciation of the Triple Alliance hy Italy

■on most excellent and horn -t grounds), and insist that luchc months’ notice was required before the expiration of the alliance in ISJ(d. He cited Austria’s offers of territory :ks proof of a desire to strengthen the relations between the two-countries.”

Italy knows full well, as all the world knows, that if she' relied on AnstroGermanv and stood aside just now the

first act of this combination of rogues would he to rend her in pieces in the event of victory to their arms. Whether the high estimate of military

power given above is right or not, it is certain that Italy’s fighting strength is not less than a million, and a recent estimate has placed the total as high n ,s 1,750, 000 men. Training her available citizens of military age. as (O her nations are doing, Italy could eventually place a considerably larger army in the field. In naval strength Italv has a preponderance -'-'gi' Austria

in effective ships of practically every class. The Italian Navy may be able to render useful service to the Albas at the Dardanelles if it is not employed instead against the Austrians on the Adriatic seaboard. As to how the campaign in {his new quarter will begin .it is difficult to say. Dr. Is. -I. Dillon, an authority on the AnstroJtalian position says that However dearly Austria might like to strike a deadly blow at Italy’s very heart it is not unlikely that the fir A great battles mav lie fotiglit further east, as the result, of mi Italian invasion of the tor-: ritorv lying immediately north ol the Istrian Peninsula. But we shall very, soon know now. .. I