The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-06
ALLIES FAILED

fine old city hall bu!ll aAlei tAo
styIe of the Doges' palace with
statue of Aiax before 1t and one OF
the equestrian statues or VICTOR
Emanuel near AjaX-one OF the nyr-
lads of such foolish statues OF Enan-
ueI that makes Italy look like parh-
ward. But even Emanuel cannot take
away the quiet dignity of the poru-
cos that adorn the ancient city. MANY
of the stores and shops are under AT
cades. And the whole effect OF the
place is unreal.
A Papier Mache City.
1t seems to be PAPER macne CITY
made for a moving picture back
ground Yet it is an old, old city.
Pliny tells of it, and it's cobbled streets
have ratified to the clash of arms ana
the tread of warlike men for three
thousand years.
In 1914 it was made the oase OF tne
Austrian army andswhen war on AUS
tria was declared Udine became the
Italian military headquarters. Ihe
king moved out to a little villa IN the
woods near Udine and has been there
with his troops since his war began.
For two years the town has been a
great gay camp. For the commando
supreme was quartered in nan near
the old wall of the city. one oroNsy
afternoon only a month before the
Germans came into Udine L spent ten
lonely years in the old town waiting
for some friends to return from a
days excursion into the Julian Alps.
The gray old town was ablaze Win
color. For soldiers were everywhere,
in the cafes under the dusky porucos
and arcades, crowding in the shops,
crossing the broad squares, scurry1ng
about in gray motor cars of the army,
lOafing in the little gardens which one
glimpsed thru quickly shutting doors
that opened out into courtyards. The
shops flashed with gaudy postcards
ticI7 n a FfI
with red braid on their somber uni
forms swanked about the place
proud of their prowess. But alas,
there were too few of them.
Did Not Heed ItaIy's Call.
If England and France had needed
Italy's call before the fall of Udine as
they responded when it was too late,
the German invasion would have been
checked. They know it now. The
other allies are doing their best at
tremendous cost to make amends.
And doubtless they will blunder thru;
but the blunder was unnecessary.
For the Italians knew that they
needed guns; they told US in Septem-
Der what they had told the allies Of
ficially in July and August frankly
that the situation in the mountain to-
ward Austria was serious. They were
holding the mountains against the
Austrians, they said; but when the
Germans came with their big guns,
the Italians had to get out. 1t was
a question of artillery. The English
had sent some big guns, and the
French had sent what they could; but
not many-compared with the need
And Italy had said officially to the
allies that while Italy could whip
Austria, Italy would have to run from
the big German guns. In the high
Alps the Italians have made 800 miles
of Gibraltar, which are reached from
the plains from 5000 to 10000 feet
below, by 1000 miles of beautiful
hard-surfaced double-track automo-
bile roads-all built since the war.
In the Gibraltar of the high Alps, are
hundreds of gun implements facing
Austria-with no guns in them, scores
and scores of tunnels are followed
out of these mountain tops without
ammunition in them. italy has the
mel; but she has little coal and no
| iron to speak of, and at war she
must always borrow her real eff
cheney.
1t Is Up to Germany.
OF course the answer to the desper-
ate situation is that Germany has her
troubles If she keep her guns in
| Italy this winter the allies will find
and break thru Germany's line there.
If she takes her guns away, Italy can
and will whip the Austrians left on
guard, and they will soon be chased
back to Laibach, from whence they
came. Near Udine are scores of little
Austrian graveyards made last spring
| in the big Austrian retreat. They tell
the story of the retreat. For the
names on the head boards are not Teu-
tonic. They are Hungarian, Magyar,
Czech and Slavic races-people fight
ing under the dual monarchy-not
with it. They will not stand against
nation fighting for its homes. So,
whatever be the situation today ulti-
mately the italian situation is not
without hope. My prophets license
is 0-13; the stands for optimist, and
it has not been renewed since the Bull
Moose convention. so don't take these
above cheerful remarks too seriously.
White Picks Up a Story.
| At o'clock l strolled over to the