The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-14

!, tion to the nation. The various antago
nistic, anti.war efforts OF the Socialist
have been overcome by the division O
that party through one of its leaders
Leonida Bissolatti. being taken into tn
present cabinet, and also through tn
influence OF the Vatican, which is not
ably anti-Socialist.
One OF the first enemies the Italian
, general staff had to conquer after its frs
leap into Austrian territory was COLI
upon the steep mountains, mountain
that for two-thirds of its front var,
from 1000 to IL 900 feet in height Thi
cold is often six degrees below zert
fFahrenheit). In the first line trenches
the soldiers had to have the heaviest o.
clothing and boots. while wooden bar
racks had to be built for those in the
second or reserve line In addition. eX-
ira large quantities of food and proper
cooking utensils had to be carried up ia
them, and roads had to be built so that
wagons or automobiles could reach them
jrapidlv. For single army corps it was
necessary to provide 100000 board
planks. 2S0,000 wooden blankets. shirts
and pairs of socks, 10000 waterproof
eapes, 10000 fur coats and 10000 fur
sleeping sacks.
! The italian frontier trench line has
been continually maintained at length
of 800 miles, counting the second, third
and fourth line trenches that have been
dug for reserve purposes.
The new territory occupied beyond the
old frontier is no less than 1872 communes
comprising an area of 5000 square kilo-
meters, with mountain population OF
100000 persons
In order to reach the front through
this territory with the enormous quaint
ties of supplies needed. the combined
forces of the army's engineering corps
and that of ltaiy's department of public
works were required. These two organ
izations began work in the early part of
the war and until the present time have
built $40 miles of new mscadam road
and rebuilt, widened and repaired 2.445
miles of other roads. Irrespective of the
regular state railroad forces, these aboye-
named organizations have planned and
built upwards Of $50 miles OF airline
cables for the handling of freight, 40
bridges and 200 miles of narrow gauge
railroad.
There has also been done an immense
amount of construction work in the way
of wooden or cement barracks, store
houses, warehouses, hospitals, schools |
and cemeteries.
In order to secure the supplies for this |
new army, beginning perhaps with |
scarcely half million men and now |
at 100000 the nation has |
put in operation a total of 2,l79 factor
les, employing 46s $40 persons, of whom
1924 are classed as skilled workmen.
This total number of factories and plants
is sub-divided into sc military establish
ments proper employing 2l,645 workmen
and l2,474 women; 932 auxiliary factor
les employing 344.702 workmen and S.
253 women. OF these latter OIL turn
,ut metal parts; 4S9 rifles, cannon, aero
planes, automobiles, projectiles and car
ridges; and 1852 manufacture explosives
hemical products and work over crude
,res. There are, further, llSl minor
'rojectile factories employing $4,000 per.
ons, To these totals must also be added
countless number of uniform and cloth
ng factories in every part of the land.
The war so far has cost Italy some ,
a 900, 900 900, of which sum little over
ne-third has been obtained through war
oans subscribed by her own people. Not
outstanding these popular subscriptions
nd increased taxes, the national savings
ank shows decided increase of depos-
ts.
These deposits July 1, 1915. were
lightly over $300000000 and Jan. l,
OH, they had increased by S65 zoo, 900,
r total of 1900, 000,00 lire. In addi-
ion there are deposits in private bank
lg institutions amounting TO one and !.
usrter billion dollars.
While Italy has officially placed but :
ngle loan of S25,000,000 in the United
tates, she is buying annually there up
ards of S260,00o,000 in values. Those
ar materials she herself cannot produce
,me chiefly from the United States,
leh as cotton and wooden cloth, mineral
Is, shoes, iron ore, steel manufactures,
al, wheat and horses.
The military activities of Italy on
nd have been, primarily, that of con
nually menacing Austria with an inys-
on that might reach Vienna, and there
forcing her to maintain a big army
this frontier that might have been
ed against the Russians OF the French,
MAINTAINING dHOthtf army III AludHld
d thereby connecting with the Anglo
ench expedition at Saloniki; and, final
of blockading the Adriatic ports of
istria, protecting the Anglo-French ex
ditions to the Dardanelles and TO Ss
liSi and aiding in the transportation
troops and material thither.
Italy has on her northern frontier cap
red $4,000 Austrian prisoners, not
inting a possible double that number
killed and wounded. Italy's army
handled the big drive of the
strians in the Trentino last May and
med that drive into a severe punish
mt of the Austrians by the taking in
gust of Goriza and other points on
lower line towards the Adriatic, to-
her with some 10000 prisoners. The
strian invasion began with 100000
n and 1000 cannon all aimed at one
Mt between the Brents and Adige riv-
The plan was no less than 10 so de-
{ the Italians as to be able to break
oss to the French frontier and take
the rear the defenders of Verdun
he attack failed within three weeks
failed because of the rapidity with
ch the Italians counter attacked in
re numbers. Within the space of two
ks they threw across the Austrian
h an army transported from other
. .