The Washington herald., 1917-09-20

Austria created difficult problems for
the Italian leaders. In the next place
/ Italy was not a warlike nation. She
had carried on several small wars but
these had not especially affected pub
lie sentiment. Her people were peace
full. busily occupied with agriculture
and with certain industries. The King
and the government were attempting
to build up various italian industries,
so that they might greatly increase
their foreign commerce. Therefore the
kingdom was wholly unprepared to
enter into a war which would inevita-
bly, involve great sacrifices, great pa
tience, and If it were to be successful,
the surmounting of extraordinary diff
ficulties. such as were offered by the
mountain barriers between Italy and
Austria.
The Italian leaders confidentially
communicated with France and Great
Britain their belief that it would re-
Guire at least three years to maintain
satisfactorily Italy's share in the wal,
1t was necessary to mobilize and dis
cipline a very large army. but that
was the least of the problems present
ed to the Italian leaders. 1t was in
supplies of war materials and also DE
perfected certain methods for carry
iig on the war in the mountains which
would involve entirely new strategy.
The Italian workshops were con-
verted into munition factories. Eng
land and the United States furnished
supplies and Italy came to New York
for the purpose of securing money
HuI 70 no various
commodities Of which she stood in
need.
In the first year of the preparations
such progress was made as satisfied
the great forces of the Italian gov
ernment that it would be possible
within another year or year and a
half adequately to prepare Italy for
the part her leaders expected the
kingdom to take in the war. Certain
military tactics were necessary but
these were strategical and defensive.
They were planned in order to keep
the Austrians in check, while Italy
was perfecting her military prepara-
tons of all kinds.
Early in the spring of this year the
Italian government was satisfied that
adequate preparation which was real
ly upon a colossal scale had been
made so that the commander of the
Italian armies were justified in be-
ginning his long contemplated Of
fensive against Austria. That Of
fensive involved means whereby ar
tillery of the most powerful kino
could be brought to bear upon the
mountains and could, as progress was
made. be lifted from lower levels
| even to the submits of the noun
tains.
The strategy which had beer
characteristic of the British anc
| French military movements in East
ern France did not involve the solV'
| ing of such very difficult problems
as did the offensive strategy OF the
| Italians, which sought to surmoun'
presumably impossible mountains.
When the history of the war Is
written not the least important anc
| instructive chapter will be that one
! which tells of the long maintained
patience and the highly concentrat'
| ed industry and energy OF ltalS
when making such preparations a:
would Justify her armies in under
taking very great offensive
against Austria. Had Italy posses
sed the natural resources OF the
United States she might have beer
fully prepared a year earlier. Bu'
she needed assistance from the
United States represented by hei
purchasing in this country of Varl-
Gus commodities and she also need
ed financial assistance which was
easily obtained both in England
and in the United States. The ltal-
ian offensive of this spring and
summer has played a far more i'm
portant part in the great strategy
of the war than is commonly rec