Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-12
No Action in That
Section Can Bring
Decision.
AUSTRIA WILL ACT
ON GERMAN ORDER
Hindenburg Wants to Prevent
Reinforcements From Co
ing to Western Front.
Effects on Austria.
BY FRANK H. SIMONDS.
Copyright. 1881

On May, 1916, a great Austrian
offensive was launched against
the Italian front between the
Brenta and the Astico; that is,
from the Austrian Tyrol, south of
Trent, and toward the Venetian
plain north of Padua and Eicenza.
Now, on May 7, 1918, both Aus
trian and Italian official reports
indicate activities which seem the
preliminaries to one more attack
in substantially the same region
which saw the terrific but abor-
tive offensive of two years ago.
There are two aspects from
which it is necessary to view the
Italian problem; the military and
the political. Certain military re-
suits are obviously bound to flow
from a great success of the Aus
TRANS in Venetia; not less plainly
there are certain political con-
siderations which weigh both tor
and against the making of such
an offensive and other political
considerations which may How
from the offensive if it succeed.
Military Aspect Considered.
To take the military aspect first. 1t Is
clear that we have reached the time oil
wear when weather conditions make mil
itary operations in the mountains possible
Last winter such operations were sus-
pended because of the heavy fall OF sno"
which came, far later than usual, TO the
heavy disadvantage of the stricken itai-
ians. but in time to prevent the Austrlans
and Germans from achieving the maxi
mum purposes of that campaign upon
which they had embarked when they at
tackled and won the great battle OF the
upper Isonzo, which is known to the cen
trail powers as the battle of Capretto.
When the campaign ended the Italians
had been driven out of all the Austrian
territory they had conquered by two years
Of incessant effort, save little siice nortn
Of the old frontier about Lago di Garda
They had been driven back from the
Isonzo to the Piave and out Of all the high
mountains-the Dolomite, Carnic and Jul
liam Alps-which separate Italy from Aus
tria between Gorilla and the Brenta. They
had lost some 5000 square miles OF the
Der of towns Of industrial Importance: as
It stood then, and stands now. they had
lost about half the area which France had
been compelled to surrender as result
of her defeats of 1914.
italian Line Shortened by Defeat.
When the A4stro-German offensive
began last autumn the Italian front
was nearly 500 miles long, and its
character was exceedingly unfortunate
fer the Italians, because the Austrians
in the Trentine district south of Tyrol
were close to the vital communications
of the several Italian armies east Of
the Brenta and holding the semi-circu-
lar front between the Brcnta and the
Adriatic.
ian line had contracted to less than a
third Of its former extent. and, while
;he chief disadvantage survived. 1t
survived in a limited form. since that
portion of the Italian army fighting
with it's face to the east was only Il few
miles beyond the point in its communi-
cations nearest to the Austro-German
front along the Trentino boundary.
Had the Austro-Germans been able to
freak through between the Brenta and
the Austro-Germans the Brenta and
the Astico after the disaster on the
Upper Isonyo. practically all of Ca
dorne,s forces would have been envel-
oped and captured. because the Austro
Germans would have cut their roads
for retreat. the Udine and also the
rriaste railways.
n YOU will look at the map you will
see that the Italian troops now stand
ing behind the Piave river. from the
swamps at it's mouth right up to the
noint where it energies from the hills
east of Monte Grappa. depend for their
munitions and supplies mainly upon