New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-04
Disaster Will Not
Affect Final De.
cisiOn Unless
Allies Morale
Weakens
Copyright, 1sl7-rhe Tribune Associations

the great Allied offensive campaign In the
West will have to be abandoned for the
year, and the best Allied efforts devoted
not to driving German armies out Of Bel
gium and France, but to preventing their
deeper invasion of Italy
A year ago the German victory over Ru-
mania, which had almost no military i'm
portance 50 far as the main field Of the
war was concerned, had profound moral
effect all over the world. II was made the
basis by the Germans Of peace offensive
designed to take advantage Of tho war
WEAKNESS Of the peoples allied against
Germany and to obtain for Germany in .
negotiated peace many great profits from
her proven triumphs. PROFESSIONALLY the
Italian disaster will be used for the same
purpose. It will be an admirable basis for
arguing that Germany is unconquerable
and that peace by negotiation is inevitable.
All that have said to my readers about
the approaching defeat of Germany through
exhaustion-a defeat almost inevitable il
there is campaign of l91S-seems to mo
still accurate. The Germans have won .
great victory with small number Of
troops, and this small number of troops
could be gathered together only by risking
defeats on their Western line, OF which
they have suffered several in recent days.
Such an excursion was justiiiable only IL It
was inevitable. II was inevitable because
Of the Austrian situation. In 1914 the
Germans had to give over their attack upon
France and England just as it was about
to promise a very great victory because
Russia had almost brought Austria 10 her
knees. In 1917 the Germans have had to
weaken armies now fighting OF the defen~
sive in order TO Jave Austria--this time
from the Italians. The price Of this Is
shown in Petain's victory at the Aisne and
the Anglo-French successes between the
User and the Lys. But the German gamble
has been crowned with really great VIC
tory, whose moral effects cannot be exag-
gerated and whose military effects may
be very serious indeed so far as Italy is
concerned. Yet one should not mistake the
fact that the main enemies Of Germany arc
France and Great Britain, and that we are
rapidly assuming the position where we
can Offset the gradual failing of French
numbers, while the material resources OF
the British Empire and the French and
American republics far surpass anything
that the Central Powers can muster. In
The larger sense it is gain in the war OK
attrition if considerable numbers Of Ger
man troops have to be sent against Italy,
and Germany, in addition to losing great
must also pay the price in blood for Italian
successes. II her successes end by arous-
ing the spirit of the Italian people, as Ma
poleon's early success aroused the spirit OF
the people OF the Spanish Peninsula, the
ultimate gain will he to the Allies, although
Germany will Enthusiastically have tempo
rarily averted the collapse Of Austria.
The Parallel Of Chicksmsugs
We are in now for period Of depres-
sion. exaggeration, misunderstanding of
the situation. German influences and Ger
man agents the world over will renew the
familiar talk about invincible Germany
and the necessity of peace by negotiation.
There is only one answer to all this rub
bish. If Germany actually were victo-
rious, actually invincible, there would b
no suggestion of peace from Berlin. Yet
for more than year German voices have
at the same time proclaimed invincible
Germany and filled tire world with a dis
cussion of peace. Wherever there is a
German sympathizer there is discussion
Of peace. Only peace by negotiation can
save Germany from a defeat on the bat
tlefeld, and every German statesman and
soldier perceives the fact clearly. The
greatest danger that comes from the Ital-
ian disaster is the possibility that Ger
many will win about the green table that
which she must lose on the battlefield II
the war goes to It's natural end. Chicka-
maugs was a terrible blow to the North,
which had seen Vicksburg and Gettysburg.
and through them the promise Of speedy
But Chickamauga could not
change the current Of the war nor abol
ish the decision which Gettysburg and
Vicksburg insured. The Marine and Yer.
dun were the Vicksburg and the Gsttys.
burg Of this war; the Italian disaster =
the Chickamauga; but it cannot prsvento
decision in the field which will be victory
Il - "A