The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-10-30
ITALY BLAMES
ENTENTE ANDU.
Appeals for Help Were Not
Taken Notice of
in Time
CADORNA BETRAYED
BY GERMAN SPIES
Italians Are Retreating to
.Tagliamento River-ltaly
Must Have Assistance

Washington, Oct 30.-Prompt and in
stinted aid from her allies. including th'
United States, is the only thing that
can save Italy from total defeat at thu
ing Germans and Austrians, according tc
the belief expressed here yesterday in
Italian official quarters.
Mixed with anxiety lest this aid be toe
late, there is an ill-coneealed feeling that
a large measure of the blame for the
crashing collapse of Cadorna's promising
offensive rests upon the failure of the
allies, and particularly of the United
States, to listen to the previous appeals
of Italy for help.
To Italy the crisis of the entire war
lies in the present situation on the ltal-
ian front. If Mackensen wins his pres
ent drive. it is declared, Italy may be
lost. If Italy is lost, it is gravely pre-
dicted the whole allied cause may be lost.
Extrayagant statements, these, but they
are made with impressive earnestness IN
high Italian quarters in Washington, al
belt they are followed up Immediately
with assurances that all is not yet lost,
and that Italy will hold out until the aid
arrives.
Official dispatches received during yes
terday from Rome said that the new
Italian line would be formed along the
Tagliamento river, and that every effort
would be made to save the Italian third
army and hold the Germans and Austri
ans on this line, which is from thirty to
fifty miles behind the Isonzo front.
The sudden blow o. the Germans, de-
livered with unerring accuracy at the
weakest spot in the Italian line, was I'M
aHestionably guided by Information OBJ
tanned from German spies operating in
high quarters on the Italian side. This
statement is made unhesitatingly and
without reservation at the Italian EN-
bassy
Italy was betrayed; OF this there is
no question" ii was declared by mem
Der of the embassy staff, "and from
this America should take warning. Italy
like all the allied countries, is filled with |
German spies"
In no other way can Italian officials |
explain why Mackensen should have
picked the spot he did to launch his |
wedging drive. Here. between Piezzo and I
Caporetto, holding the extreme right of |
the Italian lines, We're Italian territorials I
men of 45 and over, and the weakest Of /
the Italian fighting forces. Moreover
and here in part is the basis of the re-
proaehes against the United States and /
the allies-these territorials were with
out means of fighting Their ammuni.
ton had been practically exhausted
The fact that they broke and ran, it i
is declared, is not so much an evidence
of their cowardce as it is a justification
of Italy's persistent appeal to the allies
to send guns and ammunition in larger
quantities to the Italian front.
Even now, it is stated, it is guns and
ammunition from England and France
and food and coal from America that
are need more than fighting men,
though it is conceded that some few
units of trained fighters from the Anglo
French front might serve to restore the
morale Of the Italian army. Italy has
the necessary numerical strength, but
can do little with it without the guns
and ammunition.