New-York tribune., 1917-10-14

For twelve days in September an Ameri-
can-English Y. VI. c. A. Mission was conduct
ed along the Italian front on the invitation
Of ,he Italian government. As one result OF
the visit the Italian authorities have issued
a cordial invitation 70 the \. VI. {. a. TO
establish recreation nuts throughout the
war zone These will cooperate with and
supplement the admirable Casa del Soldato,'
already in operation under the brilliant in
itiative of the professor and priest, Don
Minozzi. The American-English y. NJ. {. A.
Mission was headed By Francis B. Sayre' SON.
in-law of President Wilson. It's members in
cluded Bishop Wilson, Of the Methodist Epis-
copa Church, area of New York, representing
the Mayor of New York's Enlistment Com
mittee, Professor Wilson Naylor, Of Law
renee College, Wisconsin; DR.. John Helman,
pastor Of ST. Georges Church. Edinburgh;
Professor Francis Burktt of Cambridge
University, and Eric James Paterson, of
Liverpool University. Members of the mis-
sion were shelled, strung up in an aerial
cable and in all ways had satisfactory
visit The extension of the Y. VI. c. 4.
work on its humanitarian side into the army
Of Italy by English and Americans Is
notable instance OF international cooperation.
The present Italian offensive, which we
witnessed, has bitten of bit of Austrian
ruled territory almost nine kilometres in
length and at the widest about five lns
breadth. 1t has lasted for four weeks, and
we saw it still raging on the final peak OF
san Gabrielle, where the Austrian shells were
tearing at the Italian infantry as they climbed
the flank, while Austrian prisoners came run
ming down the mountain and passed through
the ascending men. We saw the same often
sive still hot and indecisiye on the Hermada,
and we stood in the lS,000-ton she'll perfo
rated ship at the Monfalcone navy yard and
watched the Austrian battery at Duino Cas-
tie fash every five minutes. Then the Eng
lish observer of the British batteries, who
was standing at his glass on our left, picked
up his telephone and spoke to his batteries:
81 see two flashes, four degrees to the LEFT
Of Duino Castle
He turned to Us and said:
The range is 600 yards. Don't think Pm
bloodthirsty. but they got one of our own
men yesterday, and | want go at them
A Costly Offensive
If the Italian offensive continues with sue
cess it will clear San Gabrielle and the Her
mada, which is a nest Of Austrian machine
guns in among rocks and cayerns It will then,
a. always. face more hills to be scaled under
shell and machine gun, and gradually it
will sweep eastward toward LaiOach and
southeast on Trieste. 1t is costly warfare,
for mule tracks have to be engineered into
smooth roads for camons, and the fighting
IS savage. In the latest attack 5000 Italians
were killed and 1900 wounded.
The Italian campaign has had various
stages. In the first days of the war it adj
yanced to the east as far as the west bank
Of the Isonzo and reached Gradisca The
Austrans offered only "a retreat and a rear
guard action till they came to the lsonzo,
where they established their line OF resistance.
There were action ard counter action in
the great mountains Of the Trentino. Grad
ually the Italians established line OF de-
fence on the peaks, that the Austrians
could not come down the mountain passes
and cut Italy In two.
The Italians conquered the plateau of the
Carso far as Valhone.
They took hold on the further or eastern
side Of the Isonzo River at Plave.
They captured the bridgcheads and then
the city Of Gorilla.
They climbed the Carso beyond Valhone as
far a. the Hermada.
And now they have captured Monte San.o
and have pushed their line into Austrian ter
litory AZ the southeast as far as Se!o.
They have taken over 1000 square kilo-
metres of land They have engaged an Aus
trian 'front.' line Of 100000 men. The Italian
line has been 46O miles long. The region OF
high activity is now about 20 kilometres.
But those details are names and figures.
Let us see their meaning. The wonder Of
the Italian effort lies first in the amazing
difficulties overpassed, and, second, in the
organization which has grown up in two
years. On those hills above the trees the
soldiers stand in the full rays Of the sun, so
that the morning sun favors the Austrians,
who fight unblinded until noon. BY o'clock
the light is fatal for Them and the Italians