The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-30
FIGHTING COLD AS BAD ASFAC|NC
 AUSTRIAN GUNS
Italy's Enormous Task in Present War in Data of
 Nations Ministry.

Nations Ministry. Rome, March 29.-A comprehen- sive view of what Italy has been do- ing to perfect her organization Of military, industrial and political forces may be gathered from data given at the Ministry of War, where 1t is de- clared that Italy is now prepared to enter into still more vigorous prose- cution of the war.
 The Italian general staff has never made a secret of the fact that when Italy's troops were first in May, 1915, launched against the Austrian from tier, along 500-mile froQt, defend- ed by 625,000 trained troops, it was with an Italian Army of which per- haps 100000 men might be classed as trained troops, and troops which were lacking in artillery support, even in the very clothes needed to keep them warm in the mountains.
 Nor has 1t been a secret that, pol itically, Italy, began the war divided into two parties, one of which was against war with Germany or any kind of war at all.
 Throughout the war, on the one hand. the Army has been kept in tight control by Cadorna, while in Rome Baron Sydney Sonnino, the head of the Department of State, has exer- cised skill in handling the opponents to the war.
 By his continual presence at the front, save for a total period of two weeks absence in Rome on Govern ment business, the King had indicat- ed his position to the Nation. The various antagonistic anti-war efforts of the Socialists have been overcome by the division of that party through one of it's leaders, Leoflida Bissolatti being taken into the present Cabinet, and also through the influence of the Vatican, which is notably anti-social- istic.
 One of the first enemies the Italian general staff had to conquer after its first leap into Austrian territory was cold upon the. steep mountains, noun tains that for two-thirds of it's front vary from 1000 to 11.0O0 feet in height. The cold is often degrees below zero. For single army corps it was necessary to provide 100000 board blanks, 280,oo0 woolen blank cts, shirts and pairs of socks, 80,00O waterproof capes, 60000 fur coats and 10, 900 fur sleeping sacks.
 The Italian frontier trench line has been continually maintained at a length of 1,so0 miles, counting the sec ond, third and fourth line trenches that have been dug for reserve pur- poses.
 In order to reach the front through this territory with the enormous quan- titles of supplies needed, the com bined forces of the Army's engineer ing organizations have built 510 miles of new macadam road and rebuilt, widened, and repaired 2,415 miles of other roads. Irrespective of the regu- lar State railroad forces, these or ganizations have planned and built upwards of 15O miles of airline cables for the handling of freight, no bridges and 200 miles of narrow gage railroad.
 In order to secure the supplies for this new army, beginning perhaps with scarcely half million men and now estimated at three millions, the Nation has put in operation a total of 2,179 factories, employing 46S,940 persons
 The war so far has cost Italy some $4, ,000, ,000,0 ,000. of which sum little over one-third has been obtained through war loans subscribed by her own people. Notwithstanding these popular subscriptions and increased taxes the National Savings Bank shows decided increase of deposits. These deposits July l, 1915, were slightly over $500, 0,0O0, ,0o0, and Jan. 1, 1917, they had increased by $65,oo0,- 900, In addition there are deposits in private banking institutions amount ing to $1.250, 100000.
 While Italy has officially placed but single loan of $25,000,o00 in the United States, she is buying annually there upward of $260, 100000 fin val ues. Those war materials she herself cannot produce come chiefly from the United States, such as cotton and woolen cloth, mineral oils, shoes, iron ore, steel, coal, wheat and horses.
 The military activities of Italy on land have been, primarily, that of continually menacing Austria with an invasion that might reach Vienna, and thereby forcing her to maintain big army. on this frontier that might have been used against the Russians or the French; of maintaining another army in Albania and thereby connecting with the Anglo-French expedition at Sa1oniki; and, finally, of blockading the Adriatic ports of Austria, protect ing the Anglo-French expeditions to the Dardanel1es and to Saloniki and aiding in the transportation of troops and material thither.
 Italy has on her northern frontier captured 85,000 Austrian prisoners, not counting possible double that number of killed and wounded. Italy's army successfully handled the big drive of the Austrians in the Tren- tino last May and turned that drive into severe punishment of the Aus trians by the taking in August of Cor iza with some 10000 prisoners. The Austrian invasion began with 100000 men and 2,00O cannon, all aimed at one point between Brenta and Adige Rivers. The plan was no less than to so defeat the Italians as to be able to break across to the French frontier and take in the rear the defenders of Verdun.
 fThs attack failed within three weeks Within two weeks the ItaI- ians threw across the Austrian path an army transported from other sec- tions of the front, using therefor, 3D. 900 railroad cars and 1000 automo- hi1oo +o carry 5O0 900 men