Omaha daily bee., 1918-01-14

WEATHER SAVED ARMIES.
On the Somme and the Aisne, and
again in Flanders. they saved the
Germans from disaster. -.
In the plains Of Galicia and the
passes Of the carpathians they avert
ed defeat FIRST for the Austrians, then
for the Russians, but never in the his
tory of the great war have they
proved such an inestimably important
factor as at the present moment in
Italy. f 3
To Italy the worldwide storms OF
the last weeks mean more than the
staving of of almost certain calamity.
They mean the opening Of the road to
victory. .. .}., - HI (.
FACING STARVATION.
Of more vital Importance than the
checking of the great Austro- German
drive toward the plains of Vcnetia is
the coincident severing Of their CON-
rnunications.
The effect of the latter element is
to place Won Buelow's armies in a
position far more preearious than
General Diaz has yet had to face. for
all the cumulative disasters that have
tracked his tireless battaiions. "
The situation at this time is critical.
The invaders stand In the snow
choked mountains between the Pave
river and the Asiago plateau, with
their hands literally tied Behind their
backs. IN Y" - Isl @agt II !, III
IN Completely 'Iemmed In.
They are unable to move forward
because their ammunition has failed
them, unable to retreat without invit-
ing disaster, and watching the awful
specter of starvation creep nearer and
nearer as the hours 60 by, and their
supply trains still remain stalled on
the impassable Alps Won Buelows
army is paralyzed ....
Opposed to them stand the allied
legions, Italians, French, British. Be-
hind them spreads network Of rail-
road lines, bearing countless supplies
to the allies, keeping their fighting
men in trim and the, artillery vel!
stocked. "a , to...E -
The allied armies now are well pre-
pared for all offensive. while the -Teu-
tons were never so i'll fitted to meet
the shock of all attack.
.. Great Allied Offensive.
An allied offensive, an offensive on
great scale and having for its OBJ
Ject not merely the temporary but
the final defeat Of the invading forces,
such defeat as shall render them in
capable OF again threatening Italy as
they have for three months past is
coming. - ,'-.4 't4..-
It will be launched on the lower
Piave line IT will have for Its pur-
pose the complete turning Of the enc.
mys left flank and the subsequent
pursuit Of his armies from Italiar, soil.
In 1t will lie the possibility even OF
great Austro- German debaele, such as
overlook Cadorna's army on the up
per Isonzo. r. .sr. ~.
Severe Teuton Defeat. T.
On New Years eve the British.
French and Italians forced the enemy
to surrender his last important hold
or the west bank Of the Piave at
Zenson. That: was the opening
wedge iii the coming campaign. -.
Since then, and even before then.
picked detachments of British troops
have been thrusting across the river.
feeling out the vulnerable points in
the Teuton lines, taking, prisoners.
destroying field work. -et.e ~ y.
Avlators flying the en,blems of ali
three allies have been on countless
scouting expeditions over the Piaye
line, determining the exact strength
OF the enemy's defenses. And all the
time the giant guns of the British and
Italians have been pounding at the in
vaders' defensive works, cleaving a
path for the.infantrv -. : = =