The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-06-01
AUSTRIA CRUSHEs
. ITALIAN DEFENSE
Military Expert Points Out That
Z King Victor Has Under-Es-
timated Foe and Faces
a Crisis.

Vienna, Monday. May 20. (via Ber-
lin and wireless to Sayville), May 3d.
Austro- Hungarian troops have cap
tured a fortified position west OF Ar
siero, Italy, the war office announced
today.
The statement follows:
italian war theater: Austro- 1ur-
garfan troops captured the fortified
works at Cornowo west of Arsiero, and
the fortified dam across the Italysia,
southwest of Monte Intorrotto in the
district Of Isigo.
Southeastern war theater: SlIir-
mishes with an Italian patrol occurred
on the lower Voyusa,. in Albania NORTH
Of Avlona. The situation is unchanged.
. Washington, May 29.-Army officers
and administration officials, who have
been watching with interest the Of
fensive Of the Austrian army against
Italy in the southern Tyrol, say that
Italy has suffered seriously. A mill
tary expert has outlined the Austrian
campaign as follows:
The Austrian commanderinchief
chose the most vital point for his Of
fensive. The southern Tyrol always
was the best point for such a move
ment. The wonder Is that the Italian
commander permitted his line to be-
come so weakened in the Lake Garda
AcSIOh lIdl IL SOuiu pG DdCh 1OL
miles by the oncoming Austrians.
Should the offensive accomplish its
purpose in the southern Tyrol, great
military coup will have been achieved.
A glance at the map will show that the
center Of the offensive is near Lake
Garda, which is at the southernmost
point Of the neck Of Italy that reaches
into Austria, at the head Of the Adri-
attic sea.
The great Goeritz offensive Of the
Italians was on the other side of this
neck In Italy. Complete success for
the Austrians in this offensive, there
fore. would mean that the Italian army
must be withdrawn from Udine to
Trent, or that the main army would be
bottled up in a comparatively small
area, subject to attack by Austria on
all sides.
Italy's "Loeai Campaign"
AS matter Of fact, Italy has been
conducting a sort of local campaign.
She has done little or nothing of value
Austrian army engaged. The value Ok
this is greatly reduced when one re-
calls that Austria was distrustful Of
Italy from the first, and maintained an
army within easy reach of the border.
In the present Austrian offensive,
history Is merely repeating itself.
Heretofore the Italians have shown
the Austrians in the wars which have
occurred. Press reports indicate that
the Austrians have advanced far be-
yond the advanced Italian lines, and
have recaptured in one week what IL
required Italy year to conquer in the
Trentino.
IF 1t is true, as reported from Berlin
and Vienna, that the Italians are being
steadily rolled back, 1t probably means
that the process will continue for some
time since no permanent defensive
lines appear to have been laid further
back.
A Lack Of Foresight.
ITALY apparently went into the war
against Austria with the idea that the
time had come to strike her ancient
enemy, when Austria had her hands
full elsewhere. The strength that Aus
tria could throw against Italy was dis
counted. This lack OF foresight now
promises to cost the Italian command
ers dearly.
when the nature Of the country is
considered, the rapidity with which
Austria has carried on her offensive
is matter of some wonder. No coun-
try in the world could be more easily
defended than the Tyrol, with its deep
and almost impossible gorges ard
high, precipitous mountains.