New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-04
Haly's Line Is Holding;
Situation Satisfactory
Says Ambassador Page

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-The State
Department received a cablegram from
Ambassador Page at Rome to-da. stat
ing that the Italian authorities declare
they have the military situation well
in hand. Ambassador Page included
other information respecting the mil
itary situation which was not made
public, but which was said to be of
very satisfactory nature.
He informed the department, it was
said, that from all parts of Italy re-
ports state that the people are patriot
cally supporting the government, and
his own opinion of the situation was
believed to coincide with the semi
official dispatches from Rome received
in Italian quarters here. These dis
patches state that Italy is presenting
tc the enemy completely united front,
and that in the presence of the ma
tional danger the only thought of the
people is 20 expel the invaders.
French troops are still moving
steadily into Italy to reinforce King
Victor Emmanuel's army, according to
semi-ofiicial advices from Rome which
indicate that the transfer of forces and
guns from the Western front has not
been interrupted since the retreat Of
General Cadorna's soldiers began.
A. =. -. IL. a. l.
of troops has been virtually completed,
the railroads will be utilized for the
replenishment of Italy's arsenals with
munitions and other supplies impera.
lively needed. The chief assistance in
men that Italy has received from
France and Britain, it is said, consists
of artillerymen rather than infantry
men, Italy having a surplus Of in
fantrymen.
Prisoners Mostly LabOrers
Dispatches indicate, also, that the
majority of prisoners captured by the
Austro-Germans were not fighting
units, but laborers employed in con-
nection with the military operations
and the maintenance of lines Of COM
munication. 1t is stated that the Ber-
lin figures of guns captured consist
chiefly of machine gins and trench
mortars.
Italian newspapers describe patriotic
demonstrations all along tie route of
the French soldiers on their way TO the
Italian front. At all stations the peo-
pie turned out en- masse. An enormous
assembly gathered at Brescia to greet
the French contingents, and the relief
troops paraded through the city, pre-
senting arms before the Garibaldi
monument.
A dispatch on the military situation
says:
General Corsi, commenting on Cen
eral Cadorna's bulletin, writing in the
Roma Tribuna,' says that by with
drawing TO the Tagliamento line the
entire Italian army has accomplished
the most difficult Of war operations,
Notwithstanding the enormous OBJ
stacles, it being necessary TO evacuate
the zone constituting the entire base
of REIMBURSEMENT. magazines, NUM-
tons depots and all material pre-
arranged for imminent winter cam
pagning and the entire sanitary sys-
TEN.
Nothing was left to the enemy, and
nothing that could be used WAS taken
by him. The rearguard troops cover
ing the retreat fought most strenuous
" for nine days in order to moderate
the rapidly of the enemy's march"
The military critic asserts that the
maneuvre will have now TO pass two
other distinct phases; first, TO estab
lish complete organization in the lines.
and, second, TO disorganize those Of
the enemy.
General Corsi concludes with this
observation:
"Now the Italian front is assuming
new aspects, owing to the presence Of
British and French soldiers, namely,
that the front is not exclusively an
Italian front, but the front Of the Al
lies, where a decisive battle for the
Entente may yet be fought.
1.-THE strategical conditions are such
that the Austro-German armies will be
obliged either to give or accept battle.
Italian, French and English troops, al
ready strongly msssed, are now pos
sessed of superior resources, which
guarantee that the first difficult phase
having been overcome by the Italians,
il viii be followed by an Allied vic
tory"