Evening star., 1917-10-28
Italians Aided
by High Morale.

= fuctuated during
by High Morale. the period of the
war. Italian courage always has been
greater than the Austrian, even during
a period when Austria had no reason
whatever to be discouraged The ltal-
ians still are flushed with past victor
les The Austrians have nothing to
point to in their campaign against
Italy with any degree of pride. These
things have weight, for the higher NOR
ale of an army the greater the deeds
ii accomplishes so these things are
mentioned. aside from the purely mill
tary situation, as grounds for conf
dence that the Italians will emerge
from their present dilemma. save their
nation from overrunning and retain
their hold on the ma ior portion of the
strategical positions which they have
seized in enemy territory during the
past years campaign.
There are sure TO be temporary ltal-
ian reverses because of the determine
tfon of the AustroGerman command
erS to press despite terrific losses.
The Teutons have everything to gain.
They can only lose men in the effort
and of these the kaiser has no regard
SO long as the gaining of objecttves is
believed possible. The Italian armies
will come back against the enemy
strong along the whole Julian front as
they came back against the Austrians
last year after the AuStrians had scored
striking successes and invaded Italy
in the Trentino regions. Austrian sue
cess there was short lived. and IT rea-
eonably may be expected that this will
be the case where the battles at pres
ent are raging, though the task before
the Italians is infinitely harder now
than that in the Trentino last year.
when the Austrians did not have the
support of untold legions of German
soldiers.
The present campaign may be said
to have started three weeks ago, when
the Germans began to move forces
from the Russian front. after it became
certain that Austria was in grave dan
ger because of the Italian advance
through the Bainsizza plateau and in
the vicinity of Monte San Gabrielle
1t is declared that Germans. number
ing many divisions. have Joined hands
with the Austrians.
They first struck IN that region be-
tween Tolmino and Plezzo (Filtsch)
twelve miles northwest of Tolmino
The Italian lines, though in Austrian
territory at this point. skirted on the
headwaters of the lsonzo and no great
credit can be given to the Germans for
forcing the Italians back over this
river. Once having fallen back, 1t is
but natural that the Germans should
press the Italians into Italian territory
The difficulty of the terrain at this
point. from defensive standpoint, in
sured this once the Italians stepped
back over the river
The Germans did not confne their at
tack to the regions to the north of
It o m n o ,
Italian Armies ever,
Forced to Give Way. the south h
along the northern edges of the Balm
sizza plateau. the larger portion OF
which was captured by Cadorna during
his summer offensive. The Italians
were forced to give way and. further
more, the advance at this point has
SO endangered Italian lines that Cador-
ma has been forced to give up larger
portion OF the fruits of his most re-
cent drive In the Bainsizza plateau.
The position and general character of
the Teutonic advance would indicate
that the Austrians and Germans are
striving to break through the italian
lines in the general Toimino region.
force their way through the remaining
mountains and push out onto high
tablelands to the west. from which
they might continue their drive to the
southward. should they not be halted
in the meantime. This move, II carried
out to completion. would bring the Ger
mans and Austrians to the rear of the
Italian positions in and around Gorilla
and possibly force Italian retirement
from this point. which was captured
after many bloody fights. This would
force Italians to fall back in the Carso
regions to avoid the danger of encir-
clement.
This maneuver would be far-reaching
in character. Because of the magni-
tude Of the maneuver and the fact that
italian steel has been proven in the
present struggle and quick recovery
may be expected. it is foreordained
that the Teutonfc plan should fail Tt
carry out such an operation several
weeks time would he required. The
winter weather approaching will cut
short such ambitious effort, even
should Italian arms fall.
However. there u q likelihood thai