South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-06
ITALIAN FORCES
WELL ORGANIZED
Were Prepared in Every Way
TO Strike When War Was
Declared.

ROME. Aug. 6.--It has generally
been thought that organization was
not a strong point with the Italians.
how line "a work OF organization has
been accomplished. But the 10
months while Italy was neutral were
employed i'm organizing. with equal
remarkable secrecy and speed, a per
feet military machine. 10 was known
that Italy was preparing, but how eX-
tensively was "a well-kept secret.
Today she has no lack OF high eX-
piOsiyes' OF of anything else (dOWn
To masks against poisoned gas),
which a close study or the war in
other parts OF Europe has shown 10
be necessary. The credit Is generally
divided between Premier Salandra.
Gen. Cadorna. the chief OF staff and
ZupelH the minister for war. These
three have shown themselves 10 be
great men in this work of prepare
ton and foresight a work which the
English are today in position to
estimate at its just worth. and no
longer To regard as matter OF
course.
4 chief Of stan.
Gen. Cadorna, by the way, is not
chief but chief of
staff. For the king is commander-in-
chief NittOriO Emanuele III. is daily
winning for himself the love Of his
soldiers. With ceaseless activity ne
rushes from point 10 point at the
front. appearing where he is least ex-
pected, TO share a hasty meal with the
officers. and go round 10 talk TO the
men a few words OF sympathy and
encouragement. often under fire.
democrat and "A gentleman, ne does
not. like the kaiser. allow anyone TO
worship him a. god, but talks TO
people as one human 10 another The
Casa SavOia has nine representatives
al the front by land and sea, includ-
ing every man or boy OF that fighting
race old enough so much as to enlist
"a "A private soldier People like this.
A high church dignitary amused and
delighted his company the other day
by crying out in his enthusiasm,
"sempre avantil Savoia."
Gen. CadOrna seems TO be an
Italian Joffre. He has not yet been
SO fiercely tested, and ! do not mean
10 put any general in this war on a
level with the great Frenchman, but
j mean that CadOrna has obtained
over a susceptible nation the same
kind of imaginative hold that Joffre
has done, by the same scientific cold
ness. Like JOffre. CadOTna hates
politics in war. talk. excitement and
humbug Of ali sorts. Organization
and discipline are his Instruments.
and he has given the country a quiet
confidence in slowly maturing results,
which is just what every country
must have in order to endure this
long and terrible war OF exhaustion.
Not Slow To Strike.
Not that CadOrna is slow 10 strike:
far otherwise For one recalls the
rapid seizure of the innumera BILE
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. AS il was the Aus
TRANS were ready ON the Isonzo. The
political crisis of May is not a thing
To be regretted. for it compelled the
people OF Italy To decide and pro-
nounce for themselves on the issue of
peace or war 1t is the peoples war
now, made at their demand when
their statesmen differed.
The national enthusiasm is the
greater for that and the chance of
reaction less. Besides those called out
by CONSUMPTION, 100000 volunteers
enlisted before voluntary recruiting
was stopped by the authorities. Per
sons who have been called up for
service. but ascribed to civilian in
stead OF military functions, as clerks,
railwaymen or workers at munitions
wear a blue band around their arms
Even now there are plenty of young
men about the streets.
Italy 10 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 chill
dren are not only loved in Italy. but
they are plentiful. Perhaps il is from
an unconscious sense Of the strength
OF her reprOductiveneSs that Italy en-
teTs with such calm cheerfulnessr on
q war Of which she has been watching
the waste and the horrors for 10
months with a saddened and pene-
tratiVe attention.