New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-21
What Can italy Do ?

At the outset OF lLc NlSCuSSioH Oh lhc
Italian phase of the Great War it is well
TO dispose of certain obvious misapprehen-
sions. First Of all, Italy Will not be able to
take ND the road TO Vienna or Budapest
with the opening Of hostlities. On the
contrary, she will have for many weeks to
consider the defence Of Verona, Of Milan
and Of her Venetian Province.
Look at any map of Northern Italy and
il will be seen that the Austrian Tyrol pro
iects into Italian territory like a gigantic
peninsula 1t is more than this; it is, in
fact, a fortified and mountain-pr protected
funnel. down which in the Valley of the
Adige run a railroad and highway from
the north TO the very heart of Northern
Italy. Down this funnel, flank and rear
protected by the fortified mountain, not
Austria alone but Germany can pour their
masses.
In the Napoleonic times, in the war of
liberation, waged by the French and Ital-
ians in the last century, Austrian defence
took its stand behind the Mincio and the
20. the former issuing from the Lago di
Garda. Half a century ago the Quadrilat-
eral. made up of Verona, Peschiera, Man
tua and Legnago, was as familiar in the
mind of the world as Liege or Nerdun or
Antwerp to-day. Holding these four fort
resses. the Austrians, their road home
through the Tyrol protected, long domi-
mated Northern Italy.
To-day all four Of these towns are Ital-
ian. Verona is strongly fortified; the TWEEN
" miles between the city and the Austrian
frontier are covered by modern forts.
But the nature of the country is against
the Italians. Austria has kept her hand
on the slopes and hills which in fact COM
mand the gates Of Italy. For precisely the
same reason that the Russians could not
begin the war on the Posen frontier Italy
cannot push great army far to the east
of Verona on the Isonzo while the Aus
trian Tyrol is untaken.
On the other hand, could the Germans
drawing from Galicia some of the victo-
rious corps now pursuing the fleeing Rus
SLAMS. concentrating their heavy artillery,
burst out Of the Adige Valley into the
plain. take Verona and the northern bank
Of the Mincio they could stretch their
front east to the Adriatic, bottle up all
Italian troops in Venetia, occupy line
infinitely stronger than they hold in North
ern France. and leave it to the Italians to
wear themselves out fighting on their own,
not Austrian soil.
More than this, by crossing corner Of
the territory of Switzerland on the Upper
Engadine they might pour troops into the
plains about Milan. For the moment Russia
has been disposed of. 1t will be weeks
before she can recover herself for a new
offensive. German military theory calls
for opening a war with a crushing blow
She has the troops, and the Italian sltua-
ton calls for a vigorous thrust.
1t NAV be assumed that in dealing with
Italy Germany-and Germany will have to
find most Of the troops-will have no rea-
son to spare either the lives or the cities Of
the italians. We must expect that success
ful offensive will mean the destruction Of
the treasures Of art and architecture IN
Venetia and Lombardy which has already
marked German advance in Belgium and
France. Milan and Venice are henceforth
under the shadow of the peril which has
overtaken Rheims and Louvain.
But if Germany and Austria remain on
the defensive Italy's task will still be
colossal. Every point of military value in
the broad circle of mountains from Lago
di Garda through the Dolemites and the
Julian Alps to Fiume has been heavily
fortified in recent years. Remembering the
campaigns in Belgium and France, where
the country is almost uniform plain, 1t
is easy to understand what expenditure Of
time and effort will be necessary TO clear
roads and hack through mountains 5000
feet high.
On the north Italy is, presumably, con-
dcmned to the defensive or to slow and
expensive offensive. Nor can her fleet, ad-
mirable as it is, be expected to accomplish
much in the Adriatic, where the Austrian
feet lies behind the forts Of Pola and Aus
trian submarines are active. Until these
are removed the possibility Of landing a
large expeditionary army in lstria or Dali
malta seems slight.
1t may be assumed that Italian troops
ILL - ,o,. 90 .bo nordapallec II is clear