Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-08-20
STRUCK WHEN READY
Italy Spent Ten Months Prepar'
ing for War.
Perfect Military Machine Is Organized
With Remarkable Secrecy and
Speed-General Cadorna an
Italian JoffFe.

Rome.-It has generally beeA
thought that organization was not a
strong point with the Italians. But
today the Italian army shows how fine
work of organization has been &C.
complished. But the ten months
while Italy was neutral were employed
in organizing, with remarkable Sc
crecy and speed. perfect military
machine. 1t was known that Italy
was preparing. but how extensively
was well-kept secret.
Today she has no lack of high ex-
plosives" or of anything else (down
to masks against poisoned gas), which
close study of the war in other parts
of Europe has shown to be necessary.
The credit is generally divided be-
tween Premier Salandra, General Ca
dorna, the chief of staff, and Zupelli,
the minister for war. These three
have shown themselves to be great
men In this work of preparation and
foresight.
General Cadorna, by the way, is not
commander in chief, but chief of staff.
For the king is commander in chief.
Victor Emmanuel III is daily winning
for himself the love of his soldiers.
With ceaseless activity he rushes
from point to point at the front, ap-
pearing where he Is least expected, to
share a hasty meal with the officers,
and 60 round to say to the men few
words of sympathy and encourage
ment, often under fire.
General Cadorna seems to be an
Italian Joffre. He has not yet been
SO fiercely tested. Like Joffre, Ca
dorna hates politics in war, talk, ex-
element and humbug of all sorts. Or
ganization and discipline are his in
struments, and he has given the coun-
try quiet confidence in slowly ma.
turing results, which is just what ev-
dure this long and terrible war of ex-
haustion.
Not that Cadorna is slow to strike;
far otherwise. For one recalls the
rapid seizure of the innumerable
passes of the Trentine and Carnic
Alps in the first days Of the war, be-
fore the Austrians had got their men
up from Galicia- Besides those called
out by CONSUMPTION. 100000 volunteers
enlisted before recruiting was stopped
by the authorities. Italy has a great
reserve Of men. And she has less to
fear for her race from the losses of
this war than any great nation except
Russia. For her birth rate is natural
and high. Little children are not only
loved in Italy. but they are plentiful.
There is a notable absence Of tall
stories" from the front in Italian talk
and in the Italian press. The stories,
perfectly reasonable and unsensation.
al, of course emphasize the courage
and endurance Of the troops about
which there is no shadow of doubt.
and markedly so their humanity. Sto.
ries of the kind treatment of Austrian
prisoners and wounded are told ev.
erywhere. All stories,. some told to
me by eye witnesses Of high military
standing, emphasize the excellence of
the Italian artillery and its superiority
to the Austrian. The natural and ar.
tificial strength Of the enemy's pre-.
pared positions on the Isnnzo alone
renders progress slow.
There is a great development Of
trained nursing by Italian ladies. This
began during the earthquakes Of re.
cent years, and the Tripoli war. It
is now great movement of the day.
and a valuable step forward in Italian
life where woman nurses have been
till recently notable by their absence.