From the Triple to the Quadruple Alliance; Why Italy Went to War

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1915. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI CREATING AN ARMY--THE "NEUTRALISTS" AND THE N my arrival in Italy early in February, I sojourned V-/ in Milan for the purpose of acquainting myself with the principal political currents, ascertaining their relative strength and gauging the forces which Teutonism could reckon upon when the contest between it and nationalism should reach its culminating phase. From Milan I repaired to Rome, which became my headquarters until the fateful decision was taken and war was declared. Neutrality was the refrain of almost every conversation I had with the chiefs of parliamentary parties and other prominent men. "Italy cannot go to war against Germany with whom she has lived so long in cordial friendship," " Italy cannot afford to fight now, because she possesses neither funds nor an army," "Italy's one aim should be to squeeze what she can out of Austria, without spending a lira or losing a soldier." Those were some of the expressions of opinion which I heard at every hand's turn. The commercial community, especially those sections of it which came into contact with the Banca Commerciale and its emanations, was indignant at the mention of a possible rupture between Italy and the Central Empires. The results of my observations appeared in the Daily Telegraph.1 Written without bias, for the purpose of giving a faithful presentation of what was said and done and hoped and believed by the principal sections of Italian society, they INTERVENTIONISTS" 1 Daily Telegraph, March 13th, 22nd and 23rd, 1915' have been deemed worthy of preservation as the records of an eye and ear witness. That is my warrant for reproducing them here. The following reflections were written at the beginning of March:-- Creating An Army Italy's position among the neutral Powers is imperfectly ...