Thursday was the third anniversary of Italy's entry into the
war. To mark the occasion, the Lord Mayor gave a luncheon at the Guildhall on Wednesday, at which Lord Robert Cecil, in a. felicitous speech, emphasized the great importance to the Allies and to Italy herself of the heroic stand which the Italian armies have made on the Piave after the disastrous retreat from the Isonzo. Italy had come out of her trials with greaterunity and greater self-confidence than ever. Lord Robert Cecil congratulated Italy on having made it clear to the Poles, Czechs, and Southern Slays that their cause was hers. He had always felt, he said, that there was no inconsist- ency between Italian and Southern Slav aspirations. We may add that, but for unwise partisans on both sides, the friendly under- standing between the Italians and the Slays might have been arranged long ago. Lord Robert Cecil said plainly that the subject populations of Austria must be freed. We shall hear no more, it is to be hoped, of a separate peace with Austria. There will he no security for Italy or the world until both the Italians and the Slays in Austria are liberated from German rule, which is now to mean the rule, not of Vienna, but of Berlin.
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