Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-25
ITALIANS FIGHT
FOR LAIBACH
1t Must Be Taken Before Trieste
Can Be Held Against the
Austrians-On the Road
to Vienna
By ADALBERTo CAPORALE

AFTER an offensive which netted him
n few thousand prisoners and the power
fully organized mountains OF Cucco and No-
dice TO the north Of Gorilla. in a section Of
the battlefront where the Isonzo River runs
in a marrow gorge General Cadorna has
shifted the weight OF his attack to the
south, again on the Carso Austrian lines,
blocking the coast road to Trieste Here
again the Italian commander has smashed
the Austrian lines. has captured 5000 pris-
oners and has conquered line from which
his heavy guns will be in position to bat
ter directly the powerful defenses Of the
Eermada group OF heights, the highest Of
which is less than 1000 feet on these hills
are the main defensive works the Austrians
have erected to block Cadorna's march to
Trieste
Though not at all impregnable, as the
Austrian General stan seemed to believe
until some time ago. these hills have the
advantage Of being isolated thus forming a
true fortress which must be scaled by the
Italians II they are to take 1t. Moreover,
there is no road leading to the three peaks
Of the lIermada with the exception Of mule
possible TO have heavy artillery drawn.
The Hermada has been called natural
blockhouse. which armed as It is with
numerous heavy batteries Of long range,
could reach the Italian lines south Of OPP
pacchIasela and stop Cadorna's men at
the outskirts Of Monfacone. once the Her
mada defenses are smashed Duino cannot
be held by the Austrians and the march to
Trieste will be relatively easy; that is. it
will be so along the coast road passing
through Duno and Nabresina
But Trieste is not a military objective Of
any great Importance. The moral effect of
the loss Of Trieste. Austria's only great sea-
port, would, Of course, he considerable. but
the military effect Of such "A victory would
not be great. Trieste may be territorial
objective, sentimental goal which would
appeal immensely TO the Italian hearts and
would demoralize Germans and Siavs Of
Austria but the military objective toward
which Cadorna and the Italian General Staff
has been striving since the first gun was
fired over the peaks of the Alps is Laibach
some forty miles east of Gorizia, because
Laibach is the headquarters Of the Austrian
army Of the Isonzo and because it is on the
road to Vienna.
This is the big feature OF the Italian cam
pagn, the operations Of which have often
been misinterpreted. General Cadorna 8
whole trend of operations is directed not
particularly toward Trieste. but toward
Vienna, II may seem a pretentious plan Of
war, but it has been the firm belief OF the
Italian General Stan, ever since it began to
consider war against Austria as a near or
remote possibility, that Trieste can be
gained to the Italians only through a vic
torious march Of the Italian armies on the
road to Vienna, into the very heart Of the
Hapsburgs' empire
The Austrian lines Of defense are nothing
but series Of powerfully organized noun
tains blocking the roads to Vienna the
Pontebba 10 the north, through which Ma
poleon marched into Austria and brought
her to his feet in his first campaign against
the Hapsburgs the Vippacco. i'm the center
of the Italian eastern front through which
runs the most direct road to Laibach and
Trieste to the south, whence another road
leads to Laibach. The Austrian line rests
on pivotal positions blocking these avenues
through wsich the invasion Of Austria
proper. not the conquest of Trieste alone is
possible, Such are the Rombon, guarding
the Predil Valley. leading both to the valley
of the Drava and to Lubiana Tolmino and
Monte CuCco and Nodice Cthe latter two
conquered last week by CadOrna's forces)
blocking the Idria Valley also leading\ to
Labach the positions east Of Gorizia and
the northern sector of the Carso blocking
the NippaCCo Valley, and lastly the southern
section Of the CarsO, barring the road to
Trieste
That Laibach and the road to Vienna is
| the military objective General Cadorna has
| had in his mind ever since he flashed his
| first order to open fire on the Austrians is
| clearly shown by the fact that Trieste would
| never be secure unless the Austrian armies
! were driven east across the valley of the
| Sava River and further IL they were not
/ driven back they could always return to
| offensive operations which would endangeI
! Cadorna's hold on Trieste and the IL. ar
| peninsula.
| Just beyond Trieste, some eighteen miles
| northeast Of the city, the Austrians have
organized their most powerful line of de
| fense, that of the Nanos Mountain This
! line does not protect Trieste. but Iaibach
| though il does constitute menace &c
| an eventual Italian occupation of the sea
! port. 1t il clear then that while part OF
| Cadorna's army may shortly be engaged II
a march upon Trieste, the Italian generals
simo will direct his main efforts to the de
! stTuction Of the successive lines Of defens,
east OF the Carso Plateau. 1t coulC
| even be said that, il the Italians are I,
! occupy Trieste. they must first smash thes,
| lines Of defense east Or the Carso and keeI
| the Nanos line under the fire OF their biI
Calibers