Evening journal., 1917-08-24
HaIy's Answer TO The Pope
tFrom The New York Trlbune).

Almost a year ago when the French
troops at Nerdun made their great
sally which cleared the Germans from
the immediate neighbOrhood OF pouau-
mont, their commander, in congratu-
latlng them upon their achievement,
pointed 90 it as the answer Of France
10 the Kaiser's peace proposal. In a
very real sense the Italian offensive
now breaking out along the Isonzo
front must he accepted as the Italian
answer TO the Papal peace proposal.
It will be recalled that before Italy
entered the war the Austrian govern
ment, more or less under cOmpulsiOn
and through the medium OF Prince Won
Bulow, offered TO Italy the larger part
Of the Trentlno, provided italy would
stay out Of the war. This territoTN,
however, was to pass TO Italy only al
the close OF the war. Il is a matter Of
common knowledge that at ell times
In recent months Italy could have made
a separate peace with Austria and ac-
quired the Trentine district. On the
other hand, Trieste has never been con-
sidered by the Austrians as a possible
concession, since IL is the one consld-
erable seaport OF the Hapsburg empire.
The Papal proposal FOR peace. which
suggested a settlement Of the Trentino
and Trieste problems by negotiation,
meant for every Italian the renuncia-
ton cf Trieste. It meant also that the
capture Of Trieste had acquired a new
value, since the Papal peace gesture
was bound TO be only the flrst in a
long campaign for peace in tho ap-
preaching winter.
mi. g. N..a q. L.. N.Tar In
the days Of the great liberatlng move
ment, italia fara da Sc" which meant
that Italy should do IL herself. And e
is QUITE patent now that the Italians
have recognized that il Trieste Is ITO
pass TO their hands as a result Of this
war they must conduct their military
operations in such fashion as TO be in
possession Of II before peace by nego-
tiatlon comes.
The present italian offensive is con-
ceded by Vienna and by Rome to be
the most gigantic Italian effort Of the
present war. The attacking front Of 81
miles recalls the extent Of line attacked
by Mackensen at the Dunaiec in 1913
and by Nivele in his recent Aishe bat
tle It Is far and away greater than any
thing the British have ever attempted /;
II compares with the French front Of
seven miles at Verdun a year ago and
the British operative front Of twelve
miles at Arres and Of less than fifteen
az Ypres this year. It represents an ef-
fort by a vast extension Of the front 70
break a line held by an enemy lacking
the reserves 10 strengthen each threat
ened point. II suggests the method pur-
sued by Grant at Petersburg In The
closinH chapter Of the Civil War.
10 Is too early TO say from the scanty
returns that we yet have whether the
italians will be able by this attack TO
reach Trieste, but it is exceedingly
doubtful, II one is 20 judge by the ex-
perience Of the whole war They have
nine or ten miles 20 get forward over
one CT the most difficult bits Of ground
on the whole front. the Carso Plateau.
They hnve also on their northern flank
In the valley Of the Isonzo TO climb
mountains Of considerable height aud to
master obstacles far more difficult than
anything that faces the French at Yer
dun or the British In Flanders
II Austria is in a bad way, II the
morale OF her troops is poor, II the
Slav elements manifest the same weak
nesses that they showed against the
Russians, we shall see an Austrian dis
aster presently comparable 10 those dis
asters IN Gallcla in 1914 and again "
1916 But 10 must be remembered that
the Slavs who have surrendered by The