On February 12, 1915, Sonnino addressed a solemn warning to
Austria-Hungary. He declared that any military action undertaken by
that monarchy in the Balkans against either Serbia or Montenegro,
without previous arrangement with Italy, would be considered an
open infringement of Article VII of the Triple Alliance. Disregard
of this declaration, he added, would lead to grave consequences for
which the Italian Government henceforth declined all responsibility.

Five days later, February 17, 1915, he repeated the warning. "It is
necessary," he said, "to state very clearly that any other procedure
on the part of the Austro-Hungarian Government could only be interpreted
by us as an open violation of the terms of the treaty, and as clear
evidence of its intention to resume its liberty of action; in which
case we should have to regard ourselves as being fully justified
in resuming our own liberty of action for the safeguarding of our
interests."

At this time there were rumors of a fresh attack on Serbia by both
Austria and Germany, and there is little doubt that the Serbs for
the time being were saved by Italy's firm stand. Germany redoubled
her efforts at Vienna. Baron Burian, who had recently succeeded Count
Berchtold as Foreign Secretary of the Dual Kingdom, had adopted a
much more intransigent position than his predecessor. He clung to
the contention that it was impossible to settle the question of
compensation for Austria's invasion of Serbia until it had become
clear how that enterprise would result. Military action, he argued,
could not afford to wait upon diplomatic discussion.

Early in March, 1915, it looked for a time as if the Central Powers
and their ally would find a satisfactory way out of the tangle. On
March 9, 1915, Baron Burian accepted the principle that compensation
to Italy must be made from Austrian territory. Italy demanded that
negotiations begin at once, and that they should be between Italy
and Austria without German interference. Prince von Buelow, still
acting for his country, protested, but finally, on March 20, 1915,
notified Baron Sonnino that he had been authorized to guarantee
in the name of Germany the execution of any agreement which Italy
and Austria might conclude.

As announced by the German imperial chancellor, the concessions
Austria was willing to make were as follows:

Cession to Italy of that part of Tyrol and the western bank of the
Isonzo inhabited by Italians, and of the