Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-11-03
EVENTS OF THE WEEK

The newspapers of the country have been filled dur
.ng the week with dispatches which, as detail after detail
Mas been given, have pictured in some Understandable
iIvay the magnitude of the disaster which has overtaken
sthe Italian army which, for more than a year. had fought
is way bravely and successfully toward its goal. the sea-
port Of Trieste. According to the latest available figures
nj 900 Italian soldiers have been Captured, and the re-
a1reat was taken the main body across the Tagliamento
TTiver, some twelve or fifteen miles back from the 1sonzo.
ovhere there is evidence OF a purpose to make a deter
mined stand. 1t is not yet, certain that this line will be
.hosen for the final effort to check the tide Of invasionr
rus some writer's believe that there will be a further re-
Virement to another and stronger position some ten miles
tsarther west.
ri While the situation has been carefully searched to
Discover its more hopeful features, there is no minlmlz-
ng the serious nature Of the reverse. It strikes Itoly at
~ time when the hardship Of war conditions has caused
werious political disturbances throughout the country. 1t
fRras changed the aspect Of things for Austria, and with
AHteutonic troops on Italian soil, menacing the whole
northwestern section of Italy, we may expect that popular
sAiscontent in Austria will be allayed for a time at least
srhe news must increase the gloom Of those Russians who
-have been hoping against hope for something which
would tend to restore the Russian military strength to
X omething like what it should be. 1t is hailed with JOY
Z n Germany, whose only news of victory Of late has been
N the form of stories of strategic withdrawals from
s~Sositions which were actually captured by British and
plTrench guns and bayonets. And it creates in all the al
Mied countries a feeling of intense anxietyfa as to the steps
(which, are to be taken to retrieve the disaster.
-
iR The war has, for some time, been the chief concern
Rt the United States, although our people have been slow
20 realize that fact. The news of the Italian reverse,
coming as it did with startling suddenness, has shocked
Inany of us into a more complete realization of the facts
&han we had experienced before. Italy is a part of this
fvar. She is engaged in the same fight in which we are
Hsngaged. Her cause is ours Her disaster is ours. Her
MSoss has turned back the hands OF the clock for US as we'll
Is for herself and all her allies. For the blow that has
Eallen makes necessary preparations on a more gigantic
mEcale than we had dreamed Of for a war concerning whose
6uration it wcAld be folly to make predictions.
Austrian and German troops, IL they should succeed
80 driving General Cadornas men before them, will be
the back door # Franz. wi1ere-there- m neither
Mroops nor forts nor supplies. The allies did not think
l.. month ago that they could spare men and munitions
or the Italian front. They needed their full force on
l1he present French line. Under the new circumstances it
Hnunttons, not to aid in a drive into Austria, but to de-
Itend a new line in southern France with .the Huns knock
Ing at the door.
re The American government has sensed the danger
Ind the need, and as its first step in the direction>Gf re-
Elef 1t has waived all export regulations SO far as italy
M concerned. and Italy may now import without restric-
lion all the material Of every kind that she needs from
ms country. Large loans for this purpose have already
seen granted, and a large ocean tonnage will be diverted
rom other service to rush the supplies to Italy. Whether
ne news has resulted in any speeding up in the prepar-
sHions Tor sending American troops across the sea is not
old We may assume, however, that the preparations
III ave been going on at such a rate and under such pres
aar tnat more rapid action is not possible:
A$&I.--+ . . -..".#.r rs
ay As ameliorating facts may be noted that in the face
SPY e the new and grave danger that menaces them the
ID AkeAnan parties have for the time being forgotten their
IN tiderences, and we are told that the peonle !. IN,
+ % now tnan they have been at any time since the war
p51euh. Inefe IL q disposition, too. to rely on the military
ssnius Of General Cadorna, who has conducted hi. ar
a nous campaign under conditions Of unbelievable. hard
III SShip' and who had almost won complete success. II is