The entire chamber, and all those occupying the other tribunes, rose and applauded for five minutes, crying “Viva D’Annunzio!” Later thousands sent him their cards and in return received his autograph bearing the date of this eventful day.  Senor Marcora, President of the Chamber, took his place at three o’clock.  All the members of the House, and everybody in the galleries, stood up to acclaim the old follower of Garibaldi.  Premier Salandra, followed by all the members of the Cabinet, entered shortly afterward.  It was a solemn moment.  Then a delirium of cries broke out.

“Viva Salandra!” roared the Deputies, and the cheering lasted for a long time.  After the formalities of the opening, Premier Salandra, deeply moved by the demonstration, arose and said: 

“Gentlemen, I have the honor to present to you a bill to meet the eventual expenditures of a national war.”

The announcement was greeted by further prolonged applause.  The Premier’s speech was continually interrupted by enthusiasm, and at times he could hardly continue on account of the wild cheering.  The climax was reached when he made a reference to the army and navy.  Then the cries seemed interminable, and those on the floor of the House and in the galleries turned to the military tribune from which the officers answered by waving their hands and handkerchiefs.

At the end of the Premier’s speech there were deafening vivas for the King, war and Italy.  Thirty-four Socialists refused to join the cheers, even in the cry “Viva Italia!” and they were hooted and hissed.

The action of the Italian Government created intense feeling.  A newspaper man in Vienna, describing the Austrian indignation, said: 

“The exasperation and contempt which Italy’s treacherous surprise attack and her hypocritical justification aroused here, are quite indescribable.  Neither Serbia nor Russia, despite a long and costly war, is hated.  Italy, however, or rather those Italian would-be politicians and business men who offer violence to the majority of peaceful Italian people, are unutterably hated.”  On the other hand German papers spoke with much more moderation and recognized that Italy was acting in an entirely natural manner.

On the very day on which war was declared active operations were begun.  Both sides had been making elaborate preparations.  Austria had prepared herself by building strong fortifications in which were employed the latest technical improvements in defensive warfare.  Upon the Garso and around Gorizia the Austrians had placed innumerable batteries of powerful guns mounted on rails and protected by armor plates.  They also had a great number of medium and smaller guns.  A net of trenches had been excavated and constructed in cement all along the edge of the hills which dominated the course of the Isonzo River.

These trenches, occupying a position nearly impregnable because so mountainous, were defended by every modern device.  They were protected with numerous machine guns, surrounded by wire entanglements through which ran a strong electric current.  These lines of trenches followed without interruption from the banks of the Isonzo to the summit of the mountains which dominate it; they formed a kind of formidable staircase which had to be conquered step by step with enormous sacrifice.