The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-30
ITALY NEEDS
QUICK BACKING
Col. Repington Says Object of
Mackcnscn's Drive Is to
Shatter Confidence.
ny COL. CHARLES REpINGroN.
Spe,idl Cable Drspotch 10 The srS from the
London TiBfs

~ >OSs
Spe,idi Cable Despotch 10 The srS from the
London Timrs.
Copyright 1917. al rights reserred
LONDON, oct. o9.-The object OF the
operation In progress on the Italian
front is TO recover the Austrian terri
tory won by Italy and to induce the
Italians. by a turning movement which
has struck the headwatcrs OF the Natl
some Valley to let go the hold on their
positions on the left bank of the mid
die and lower Isonzo
The stampede OF the impress: :onable
Italians by rough and tumble attack
TO which they are unaccustomed also
is designed to impress opinion in Italy
and cause d!ssensions in the interior
!. must he remembered that the pacihst
parties never have ceased their an
tagon!sm to the national cause. Our
business is to help Italy in every way
TO react against exaggerated >pess!m!sm
and want OF nerve.
The main danger came first from the
German army. which. marching probably
through the Ploecken Pass. overthrow the
Fourth Army Corps and other elements
Of the Second Italian Amy and cap
tured In succession I.ago Caporetto and
the adjacent hill positions. then obtained
a grip on the Natisone Valley and by a
coup de main against Monte MatAjur
the most commanding height on this SEQ
tion Of the frontier, succeeded in domi-
mating this region.
Cut on Once Before.
The German army relied upon the
prestige II still retains In Italy and the
impc tuous rush overcame both the de-
fences and the spirit OF the Italian de-
Tenders in this quarter What happened
often happens when tangled maze Of
hills is penetrated by an invasion of this
kind. Many bodies Of troops were cut
on and time did not allow the with
drawal Of the heavy guns carried 70
eiddy height and placed in position on
the mountain crests
The same thing happened in May.
1916. with the same results. hut the Ital-
fans then recovered their spirit and re-
tr!eved their reverses. and so we hope
they will do again To the bold, impetu-
GUS assault of the enemy We must give
heed. but Gen. Coun: Cadorna. the ltal-
ian commander in chief. will not allow
himself TO he intimida;ed. From the
latest reports, particularly of the cap
ture of Civi!ale and Goritz. We can have
no doub; that the Second and Third
armies are retiring upon the Taglia-
lnento line. We all are deeply sympa-
thetic with Italy or the failure Of part
OF her troops 10 resist the enemy. which
has forced upon Gen. Cadorna this grave
and necessary decision to fall back to
the Taglamento.
New Positions Arc strong.
The new positions form a good line Of
defence at this season and should op-
pose a serious obstacle II the bulk OF
the defenders of the Julian front retire
successfully. Then Cardona decidedly
should he able to show a bold front in
spite of the superior numbers OF the
enemy.
Proofs unfortunately have been fur
nished that a comparatively small num-
Der of German troops is able to defea,
or stampede n part Of the Italian armies.
This necessarily changes greatly the
character Of the war in Italy. The En-
tente Allies now mus, prove their COM
radeship with the hard pressed nation.
For every German division removed
from France to fight Italy We and the
French can afford to transfer one or
more from the western front No ques-
ton arises here as TO sea transport. We
can assume that all arrangements have
been made by the stats concerned for
strategic requirements long foreseen.