Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-18
ON 70 1RlEnE..

which the Italian armies nave before
them now with San Gabrielle mountain
theirs, IL not comparable to the easy
capture OF Riga by the Germans, Dut
the conquest Of the last great crag-
hung fortress in the Gorilla region Will
permit the Italians to take up the cry
con to Triests," with fervor That
will make their tones ring true.
Morale, that indefinable feeling with
In ones sek, has been mentioned ire
quently during this war, and its impor-
lance as q factor In winning or losing
battles is evidenced In every coninct'
Il IN TO preserve the morale OF his
troops that the Prussian emperor con-
tinues to emit glowing tributes TO their
provess whenever they take forward
step; whether it be against the bathing
British il Flanders or against the unre-
sisting Russians at Riga. 1t Is to pre-
serve the morale behind the lines that
he and his war lords fill the German
public full of untruthful claims or Ger.
man victories and equally un1ustllleo
boasts of certain ultimate victory.
The morale of the Italian armies Will
b strengthened immeasurably by the
success at San Gabrielle, and In inverse
ratio the Austrian forces determine
ton to stand against odds will de-
crease. As the fighting center moves
gradually toward Trieste the individ-
ual resistance of the Austrian soldiers
will become less and less while the
realization is being forced on them
that defeat is their certain portion
America never has been defeated.
was significant sentence in a recent
address by Premier Lloyd George in
which he prophesied marked progress
for the, allied armies on the western
front when the French and British
forces shall be joined by Pershings
men. The confidence that continued
victory brings will 30 far to help the
khaki-clad regiments from the United
States~ fen they find themselves hurt
ling across No Mans Land in their ini-
tial charge against the veteran troops
OF Hindenburg and the German crown
prince.
Il is only in the past few weeks that
General Cadorna's activities have
claimed worldwide attention, although
he has been battling f1ercely and al
most continuously for several months
to drive the Austrians back from
mountain fortress to fortress through q
series OF natural and artificial defenses
which has been described by war ex-
perts as unequalled anywhere else In
the world.
And 1t is well for the spirit Of the
allies that the Italian victories have
come Just at this time, for there has
been little enough Of encouraging news
from the headquarters Of the armies
farther north. The French offensive
1t Verdun which proved so costly for
the crown prince merely won for the
forces Of Petain the ground that was
lost q year ago. It was brilliant VIC
tory, to be sure, but its importance
was minor in comparison with the
catastrophes which befell the entente
cause In Russia when Riga was taken
0ad when Russia's makeshift govern
ment was brought to the edge OF anar-
chy and ruin by internal dissensionR
The menace TO Trieste cannot but
have it's depressing effect in Germany
as we'll as Austria, for capture of this
port by the Italians will rob the central
empires Of access to the Adriatic sea
Austria, already confronted by starva-
ton, will find herself the more hermet-
icaliy sealed against efforts to obtain
supplies from outside.