The Washington herald., 1916-07-25
By SIR A. CONAN DOYLE.

Copyright. 1918 by A Conan Doyle0
Italian War Front, Near Verona, July,
lgl6-One meets with such extreme klno-
ness and consideration among the ltaI-
fans that there is a real danger lest one
personal feeling should warp ones 1uds-
ruent Making every possible allowance
for this I come away from them, a1ter
q very wide view, with a deep feelins OF
admiration and a conviction that no army
in the world could have made a oraVer
attempt to advance under conditions OF
extraordinary difficulty.
First a word as to the italian soldier
He is a type by himself, which diners
from the earnest solidarity OF the new
French army, and from the business
alsrtness Of the Briton, and yet has a
very special dash and fire OF its own
1t has been a war OF most desperate
ventures, but never once has there been
a lack Of volunteers. The Tyrolese are
good men-too good to be fighting in SO
rotten a cause. But from the first to
last the AIpini have had the ascendancy
in the hill fighting as the line regiments
have against the Kaiserlies upon the
plain.
Caesar told how the big Germans used
to laugh at his little men until they had
been at handgrips with them The Aus
TRANS could tell the same tale. The
spirit in the ranks Is something marvel
every ofhcer has fallen, and yet the men
have pushed on, have taken a position.
and then waited for official direction.
Alps Form Bar.
The Alps form such a bar across the
north that there are only two points
where serious operations are possible
One Is the Trentino Salient where Aus
tria can always, threaten and invade
Italy. She lies in the mountains with
the plains beneath her. She can always
invade the plain, but the Italians can
rot seriously invade the mountains. since
the passes would only lead to other
mountains beyond. Therefore their only
possible policy is to hold the Austrians
hack. This they have most successfully
done.
There remains the other front. the
opening by the sea. Here the Italians
had a chance to advance over a front
Of plain bounded by a river with hills
beyond They cleared the plain. they
crossed the river they fought battle
very like the battle Of the Aisne upon
the slopes Of the hills, taking 10000 Aus
triln prisoners. and now they are faced
by barbed wire, machine guns, cemented
trenches, and every other device which
has held them as it has held everyone
else.
They have in q year occupied some
forty Austrian divisions, and relieved
our Russian allies TO that very ap-
yrecIable extent. They have killed or
wounded a quarter Of million, taken
forty thousand, and drawn to themselves
a large portion Of the artillery. That
Is their record up to date. AS to the
future it is very easy to prophesy. Neith-
er side can advance far as matters stand.
But II the Russians advance and Aus
tria has to draw her men to the East
there will be a tiger spring for trieste
II manhood can break the line, then
believe the Durandos will do it.
Cadorna the Roman.
And they are exceIIently led. Cadorna
is an cid Roman, a man cast in the big
simple mold Of antiquity. frugal in his
tastes, clear in his aims, with no thought
outside his duty. Everyone loves and
trusts him Porro. the chief OF staff, who
vas good enough to explain the strate-
glcaI position to me, struck me as a, man
OF great ClcGrness of vision, middle-sized,
straight as dart with an eagle face
sr.ined and colored like an old walnut.
The whole Of the staff work is, as experts
assure me. most excellenuy done.
So much for the general situation. Let
me descend for moment to my adven-
lures at Paiua- I was wakened betimes
.a the morning by the dropping Of bombs.
tie rattle o. aircraft guns. and the dis
flnt -at-tat-tat Of a mixin high up in
the air
This dropping of explosives on the
chance OF hitting one soldier among fifty
victims seems to me the most monstrous
development of the whole war. and the
one which should be most sternly repressed
N future International legtslation-if such
q thing as international law still exists.
The italian headquarters town, which l
will call NemiaI, was particular victim
% these TnUrderOUs attacks. I speak with
some feeling, as not only was the ceiling
OF my bedroom shattered some days be-
fore my arrival, but a greasy patch with
some black shreds upon it was still visible
above my window which represented part
OF the remains OF an unfortunate work
man, who had been blown to pieces in
front Of the house.
The IsonEo Front.
NY first experience Of the Italian line
was at the portion which I have called
the gap by the sea, otherwise the Isonzo
front. From a mound behind the trenches
an extraordinary fine view can be got
Of the Austrian position, the general
curve Of both lines being marked, as in
Flanders. by the sausage balloons which
Aoat behind them. The Isonzo which has