If there had been more enlightened study of history in Germany and racial psychology, no one could have believed for an instant that the Quirinal in Rome and the Hofburg in Vienna would ever fight side by side on a common battle front. Italy would turn into a vol¬ cano before any Government would dare send a single Italian into the field on account of the fanatically hated Habsburg State, except as an enemy. I had more than once seen the passionate disdain and unfathomed hatred which obsessed the Italians against the Austrian State flare up in Vienna. The sins of the House of Habsburg in the course of centuries against Italian freedom and independence were too great ever to be forgotten, even supposing there were any desire to do so. There was no such desire either amongst the people or in the Italian Government. For Italy, therefore, there were only two possible courses in deal¬ ing with Austria—alliance or war.
Having chosen the first, they could calmly prepare for the second.
The German alliance policy was both senseless and risky, especially since Austria’s relations towards Russia had been tending more and more towards a settlement by war.
Why was any alliance concluded at all ? Simply in order to assure the future of the Reich when it was in a position to do so standing on its own feet. But the future of the Reich was nothing else than the question of enabling the German nation to continue in existence.
The population of Germany increases by nearly 900,000 annually.