New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-26
The Attack Upon Italy


in the First Battle of Ypres, the Germans
were compelled TO give over their push Tor
Calais to save their Austrian ally, whose
condition, after a long series Of defeats,
had become desperate. The present oper-
alton of the Germans against Italy is one
more Of the many undertakings which have
heen forced upon the Kaiser by the weak
ness Of his Hapsburg ally.
Confirmation of much that has been pub
Ished in recent days concerning condi-
tons In Austria may be found now in the
decision Of Germany to employ her few
remaining reserves in an attack upon Italy.
All German troops DETECTED from the
French and British fronts to any other
field represent an unmistakable loss The
decision Of the war 1. going to como on
the front between Switzerland and the
North Sea. There Germany Is suffering
terrible losses and a steady surrender OF
territory is going on. There French and
British troops are dividing the casualties
ON the Allied side, while Germany on her
side Is bearing them alone If to the num-
Der OF losses she suffers at the hands OF
the French and British Germany now must
add losses to Italians, the process Of attri-
ton will be accelerated materially.
The present attack upon Italy is made
possible by the Russian collapse. Italy is
now called upon to pay the price for the
folly and the madness (which rule in Rus
STA. Most, If not all, of the German troops
which will now operate against Italy have
been drawn from the Russian front and
the recent German retirement upon Riga
is onlv one more indication of the fashion
in which Germany is stripping her front
between the Baltic and the Pinsk Marshes.
And this process supplies eloquent testi-
mony to the contempt Germany now has
for Russian armies and the appraisal she
sets upon the Russian purpose to attack
in the future.
The present attack by Germany upon
Italy is the second in which German troops
and German guns have participated, al
though the first preceded the German
Italian declaration Of war. Because of the
world interest in Verdun, the great Of
fensive of the Central Powers from the
Trentino in the spring of 1916 attracted
little notice. The desperate battles upon
the Asiago Plateau, which only very mar
rowly escaped seeing an Italian disaster
and an Austrian eruption into the Valley OF
the Pc, were marked by some of the most
critical fighting in the history of modern
Italy. At this time Cadorna just managed
TO stop the Austro-German advance to the
Venetian Plain, as Petain had few weeks
before halted the German onrush before
the last defences Of Verdun.
A Russian offensive in June, 1916,
finally drew from the Italian front the
men and the guns which Austria and Ger
many had massed for their thrust south
ward to Vicenza and Verona. So far, Italy
was indebted to Russia, but Italian efforts
the previous year, when Russia was being
invaded, after the Dunajec, certainly bal
anced this account.
1t is too early TO measure the extent
of the present German attack upon Italy.
We see very clearly that it has its origin
in the clamorous appeals of the Austrians
10 Berlin to save them from the conse-
ouences of another Cadorna thrust. Ever
since the Italians climbed up the Bainsizza
Plateau they have been gathering their
strength for the blow that should open the
road to Laibach, that should pierce the
Isonzo gate and begin the real invasion
of Austria along the road that Napoleon
marched in 1897 until from the heights
of the Semmering Pass he looked down.
ward upon Vienna. Austria, feeling her
self unable TO meet the new blow which
was Enthusiastically gathering, has drawn
Germany down to the Adriatic front and
compelled the Kaiser to make new demands
upon his failing numbers to save an ally
whose weakness has been in many other
crises fatal TO German hopes.
Recognizing that the main occasion Of
the present German operation is the Aus
TRAN condition, it is no less essential 70
realize that the political situation In Italy
Is bad, has been bad for many months
and has seemed to the Germans to be SO