The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-16
n ITALY MAS o
A Comprehensive Survey Of Hes
Campaign Against tke AsstSisns.

Comprehensive surrey Of Hes
Campaign Against the Asstsisss.
have read Mr.. Charles kieners letter
and also tho answer 70 II By MT. j.
Donate d. Paola. My view 10 that II
was unnecessary 10 answer Mr.. kieners
tirade because tho proper answer wal
In your terse headline. "Ts Mr.. kener
In Direct Communication with the Aus
trian Frontier"
hut inasmuch as Mr.. Donate took the
pains to write to The U on this subject,
l. with due respect for him. wish TO
endow his answer with some knowledge
have acquired in Italy. from which
came back q short time ago. havtns
been there since the very day that Italy
declared war on her ancient enemy.
Austria.
Up to May 2s the italian position on
the Austrian frontier was like a house
without doors. while the enemy's was a
line Of formidable Notifications which
had been constructed n strengthened
continually since the war OF 1885.
Why did not the Italians build doors
to their house? It was because they
could not do Il without accepting war
from Austria, ana Italy. being In . dis
advantageous military position. tried al
ways to avoid Wal.
Austrian activities went on unlnter-
rupted for years and years. and for years
and years the mountaineers and peas
ants along the italian frontier. from
the Swiss conine down TO the lake OF
Garda. and up again to the Dolomites.
and along the Carnio Alps. n down
again along the Isonso line to the sea.
had to watch silently the activities OF
their ancient enemy n hear the con-
tinuous blasting of the rocks going on
yonder for the construction Of new rail-
a branches, mountain paths. for
tresses n artillery positions on top OF
mountain peaks and the construction OF
cement trenches on the plateaus. Every
blast had a painful echo In their hearts.
and they would go on with their toll
murnbling a prayer to God to preserve
their sons, the sons Of italy, 'for the day
to come"
And the day anne and tho italians
knew that their house wal still without
doors and that every avenue was open
to Austrian invasion Of their territory
as General Conrad had planned. They
understood the meaning Of the Austrian
boast that the invasion of Italy would
be n military parade to Rome.
Still. when they heard the war cry
happiness possessed their hearts. and
the sons OF Italy responded to the call
Of their flag. In front of the Austrian
iron belt forged along their frontier
they opposed the line Of their breasts.
and they fought.
What have the Italians lone in elk
months? One look at a reliable topo-
graphical paper show Ing with flags the
actual positions OF the two contending
armies will reveal a line OF Italian flags
pinned on Austrian soil. and not one
Afratrtap AaD on ItaIta, tArrl&nrt.
Now let us follow the "line OF III
flags from the Stelvio Pass to the sea
and We shall see that the iron belt OF
the Austrian defences is solidly occupied
By the Italians, with the exception Of
Goritz and mi on the Isonzo front.
on the western Tyrolo-Trentine front
the Italians have captured all the passes
and Notifications. and Thus blocked the
way to any attempt at Austrian inva-
sion. on the southern front the Italians
have advanced almost as far as Rove
reto. which bulletins say is being bonn
barded. on the eastern front OF the
same section they have advanced past
the city OF Borge as far as Col di Lana,
menacing the city OF Trent. They have
blocked the way out OF the Dolonites,
capturing all passes and st~rongholds.
on the Carnic front tho Italians have
conquered the entire chain OF fort.fica-
tons along the Carnic Alps, penetrating
as far east as the stronghold of NAL
borchetto. From here down to the eastern
front of the theatre of war they have con-
quered the stronghold Of Plezzo. penetrat-
ing for miles east of the Isonzo. they
have almost surrounded the strongholds
OF and Goritz. and thence hold
the line of the Isonzo down to Monfal- !
cone and the sea- Therefore, having |
captured the entire line OF frontier de-
fences. and a. places penetrated for
miles inland, the number OF Austrian
fortresses captured by the Italians can |
10 moro be counted. What have the
Italians don In six months? They have
done the impossible, they have accom-
p!!shcd feats little short OF the m!racu-
lous. They have conquered positions on
mountains over 10000 feet high. fighting
ana constructing their paths to carry
heavy guns 10 such attitudes. blasting
lee and rocks under the ene,ny's hre. |
They have advanced n conquered for |
midable intrenchments. ut the same time
paths, roads and tracks.
In short. the Italians have done and |
Iudone what the enemy had done in |
years. The Italians have rome |
outside their house without doors. and
made tho captured iron belt their |
barrier against which any attack by |
the Austrians will he hopeless.
Italy has about 5000. 900 men under
arms AZ present. but two-th!rds are
held for future emergencies" on the
entire Austrian front there are not more
han 500. 900.
What has been tho loss: Very small
c~o'npared 70 wha; has been accomplished. |
between dead, wounded and missing II
cannot be more than $4,000 Italians, |
while q conservative estimate places the
Austrian losses at about $50. 600 men.
GIUSEPPE VrTrLlI.
EpOpxryN na,arbar ~, |