Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-30
A FruitIeSS Adventure.

The acutely dangerous stage of Italy's situa-
tion appears to be over. with fair chance of the
odds turning heavily against the foe Having
withstood the onset of superior numbers thus far,
the Italians may be depended upon to hold immov-
ably, now that they reinforced by large con-
tingents of the British and French. There were
the glow and sinew of ancient Roman valor in the
steadfastness with which King Victor's troops de-
Tended their soil in the hills and along the Pave
while waiting, in the face of overshadowing dis
advantage, for Allied help to arrive. Whatever
lack of morale there may have been in the disas-
trous retreat from the Isonzo has been supplanted
with what is perhaps the sturdest spirit the Ital-
liam armies have known since they entered the
And the Italian people, stirred by the peril
sweep of the invasion more than ever
united, more than ready to sacrifice for their
country's In these conditions, buttressed
by substantial aid from her allies, Italy finds
newed bulwark and a rekindled hope of victory.
The arrival of large and thoroughly equipped
forces of French and British after eight-days
march on which they made upwards of fifteen
miles day bears striking witness to the mobile
power of the Allied war machine Moreover, the
withdrawal of these troops from the Western front
without in any wise weakening the Franco-Brit-
ish position is particularly significant. To spare
large reinforcements for Italy and at the same
d
most telling blows that have been dealt the
Kaiser's lines in the West leaves no doubt of the
Allies superiority in man-power, gun-power and
general resources. How much more effective they
will be when their plans are thoroughly co-ordi-
mated through a central war council is indicated
by the great results accomplished in this instance
by acting, even hastily and in a limited way upon
the cooperative principle When the methods of
the Allies perfected, as they will be, that
the enemy longer will dare to switch great
numbers of troops from front to another or
from sector to sector, the Teuon lines will break
and crumble.
Whether the Italian situation remains as it is
or as some observers hope, is turned into smash
ing drive against the Austro-German army, the
purposes for which the Kaiser launched his latest
offensive have failed. AS Secretary Baker points
out in his weekly war review the enemy took the
offensive in Italy in hopes of extricating himself
from 1.-The increasingly difficult position in which
his forces find themselves in the West" Doubt
less too, he acted with eye to political as we'll
military possibilities, of his chief objects
being to create a favorable atmosphere for new
German peace overture The Kaiser calculated
that, with Russia out of the war, he could make
tremendous impression in Allied countries if he
proposed peace conference at the threshold of
Christmas and on top of an overwhelming victory
in Italy But his military aims have been
thwarted and along with them his diplomatic
schemes. By the battle of Cambria his initial
successes in Italy have been Offset and overshad-
owed. His position in the West, the all-impor-
tant field, far from having improved is than
precarious and the Allies, far from being
disposed to consider inconclusive peace,
more than determined to fight on for vic
tory that will make democracy and civilization
safe indeed Thus the drive into Italy, as far as
we now can see, has turned out frAitless ad-
venture while the grim business of breaking Ger
man morale and grinding away German man-power
on the Western front goes unnterruptedy on.
President Wilson has demonstrated that a