Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 11 December 1914, Page 4

ITALY'S AHMED PREPARATION. Since the war began, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, tho Marquis (li San Giuliano, who was a strong supporter of the Triple Alliance, has died; and the speech of the Premier, Signor Salandra, recently reported, and overwhelmingly supported by the Chamber, marks the strongest stand that official Italy lias yet taken. "Neutrality," says the Premier, "cannot be the exclusive aim of Italian policy," and this amounts to a formal notification to the world that Italy is prepared to consider armed intervention before—not after—the map-making begins. Signor Salandra reminds his countrymen—it would be more true to say that most of his countrymen have been reminding him — that "the political configuration of Europe is perhaps about to be transformed, and Italy must maintain her vital interests and just aspirations." The Government's "supreme concern is tho complete preparation of the army and navy," and such a costly means will not be without an end. As far as Germany and Austria are concerned, it is hard to believe that Italian action for the present will exceed the preparation of armaments (writes the Wellington Post). If Italy had intended to fight Austria and Germany in 1914, she should have started before now, because the advent of winter lias added greatly to the defences of Austria's Italian frontier, and a campaign in the Trentiiio—the Italianspeaking district coveted by Italywould be beset with great difficulties.