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Slavia, the Balkans, and the Near East question in general, and also as a means of cutting down unemployment and having a force ready for use in case of serious internal disturbances which may come in spite of everything, on account of the gradually diminishing trade. Since the Union of Italy, it has been the custom to take men recruited in the North and station them in the South, and vice versa, so as to mix up the Italian population, have them know each other, and thereby gain a spirit of unity which had been absent up to the time of the Italian Union.

Italy's ideas now, so far as national defense is concerned, are pretty clear, and they are just starting out on their new system. This will be an army sufficient to defend her in the North and East; a navy sufficient for policing her coasts and the shores of her colonies (this to consist of light surface craft and undersea boats); and an air force capable of defending her coast and of taking the offensive over her northern and eastern frontiers. She can not hope to gain the upper hand over France in the air. This policy has just been determined, but the extent to which it will be carried depends on the amount of money that they can put into it and the aeronautical condition of her possible enemies at the present time.

The greatest stress is being laid on aviation, and it is regarded as their first line of defense. Our bombardment exercises of

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