Baron Sonnino, the Italian Foreign Minister, made an important speech
in the Chamber on Saturday last in reply to Count Herding and Count Czernin. He disavowed Imperialist aims, and declared that Italy's " demands as regards Austria-Hungary correspond to ethnical conceptions and to legitimate sal ety on land and sea." Italy wanted to reunite with her the Italian people of the Trentino and Trieste, and to obtain a secure military frontier as a guarantee of liberty and peace. In the Eastern Mediterranean Italy aimed at maintaining an equilibrium of strength ; it would be bad for the world if one or two States had a great preponderance everywhere. Italy would readily recognize the independence of Albania, but the future of that country was a vital question for Italy, as it affected the settlement of the Adriatic. Albania must be freed from foreign intrigue. The first need at present, Baron Sonnino concluded, was to obtain greater unity of effort both among the Allies and among all parties in Italy. Signor Orlando, who also spoke, sharply rebuked the anti-war Socialists for doing nothing to promote the triumph of the ideals which they professed to share. The Chamber expressed its confidence in the Ministry by 340 votes to 44.
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