The Benson signal., 1918-12-28
BY DR.. FELICE FERRERO,
Director italian Bureau OF Public
information

Information.
The blood and treasure Of Italy were
freely spent In the successful effort to
put Austriu-Hungary out Of the war.
While Italy's efforts were not confined
to The Austrian front, her cOntribu. ion
TO allied success was greater here than
IN the other places where her troops
fought the battle for civilization. Her
financial and Industrial efforts have
been equal to her military effort, and
in all these directions Italy has not
Jagged behind her allies. That the
nature and extent of these efforts may
be better understood by the American
public, wish TO review them briefly.
In considering Italy's military con-
tributions. let HE emphasize the fact
that her soldiers have not confined their
lighting to their own soil. Like those
Of her allies, they have gone far aiicld.
They contributed largely to the glori-
GUS victory on the Balkan front. A
large contingent in France first gave
powerful aid In the defense Of Rheims,
then took part In the advance Of the
allied forces.
italy Had 100000 Under Arms.
Since the beginning Of the war Italy
has called TO the colors little less than
100000 men and has suffered loss
of almost 100000 of them. OF that loss
nearly 100000 died In battle, and 1907
900 from disease. Over $4,000 are
totally incapacitated, either by blind
ness, loss of limb or tuberculosis. At
The present moment the strength Of
The Italian army Is 4.025,00O, including
the class of men born in 1900, who
have been called to the colors recent
IT, 1t may be said, then, that the ma
tons man-power has suffered a per-
manent loss Of nearly million.
But, serious as is this loss. Italy has
inflicted an even greater punishment
upon the foe In Austrian prisoners
alone she has taken approximately Il
million. The Austrian loss in killed
and wounded is, of course, unknown
TO US, but even the most conservative
estimates make 1t far greater than
ours. In the June offensive on 'the
Piave alone over 100000 Austrian dead
were left on the field
Fighting Under Extreme Difficulties.
Aside from their achievements in
other theatres Of the war. Italy's sol
diers have fought through fifteen flu
.'ious offensives on the ISonZO and the
Piave, inflcting terrible losses on the
FOE in each. These campaigns were
carried on In mountainous regions and
under rigorous weather conditions shat
taxed to the utmost the genius of the
military engineers and the endurance
Of the troops. The foe, when hOStili-
ties opened, were entrenched in care
fully prepared and seemingly impreg-
nable positions, backed by network
Of military roads and railroads. On
the Italian side were deep gorges, I'M
scalahle cliffs, almost impossible gla-
ciers, passes filled with snow and COM
handed by Austrian guns There were
no SUI table roads or bridges. The sur
noun ing Of these difficulties has chal-
enge the admiration Of the engineer
ing world
Over $500 miles Of roads have been
constr acted on the mountains of Italy
md Of Albania. and 1000 miles of
terial cable railroads (Telefcriche)
nave been built to carry food, ammu-
nition and guns over deep ravines.
Economic Difficulties.
The magnitude Of this military effort
an be fully appreciated only when one
axes into consideration the economic
nd number Of it's population. One
rust, remember that out of 100000
nhab tants in Italy at the beginning
Of war only 100000 were male.