The Washington herald., 1918-06-17
ITALIANS CAN
HOLD AGAINST
AUSTRIA ALONE
i i Germany Sends Troop:
Another Retirement
May Follow.

The Importance of the events OF the
Italian front will be judged in WASH
ington by whether or not German
forces are sent there Allied and
American officers eagerly scanned the
meagre reports OF the fighting that
reached here yesterday. All declare
that the Italians can hold their own
and more against the Austrians alone.
But IL large German units are sent to
the Austrian front. fear is felt, even
in Italian quarters. that another re-
tirement may be necessary.
1t Is generally predicted that the
Germans will not he able to divert
forces to Austria. The frightfuI toll
they have paid on the West front,
while not eNhausting their reserves
in France, is known TO have pulled
them down to the point where few
men can be spared IL Germany is to
persist I'm her effort TO wiz decision
on the West before the Americans
develop I'm full force.
AustrIans Driven TO Fight.
Austria is considered here to he
driven TO take the offensive by the
precarious conditions of her internal
affairs. II is regarded as an effort 70
divert popular attention from the
cshinet cTisis and the refusal Of Won
SesSffer 20 cali the parliament The
move is considered n desperate one,
however.
II Austria intends to carry on a
! real campaign il will require all OF
I her troops. Among them will he
many OF the Czecho-Slovak regiments
who may go over TO the Italians en-
! masse at the first opportunity. II
will also require the withdrawal of
! garrisons from the disafTected areas
OF Bohemia and SlavonIa. Represen-
tatives OF the Czechs and Jugo-Slavs
here declare that their people will
, rise in revolution the moment the
opportunity promises a hope OF sue
cess
Italian Situation.
/ The italian situation on the other
I hand is pronounced better than at anv
! time since Italy entered the war w.
the single exception of the food sup
! ply-and there the Italians are su-
| perior to their enemies, the Austriane
Italy has more men under arms
| than at any other time ia the war
and is using them on a shorter battle
/ front than ever before The morale
OF the troops is reported by all OBJ
! servers who have returned here TO be
above question. II is understood that
supplies OF munitions have been ac-
Cumulated in satisfying quantities
| since active fighting ended last fall
I There arc considerable alliet
units-British and French-alread,
with the Italians. The British anC
French artillery has done wonderful
work in the Counter-bombard rdmen
which preceded the infantry at
| tacks
Talk of the dispatch of American
troops to Italy has. of course. re
vived with the Austrian attack, bu
War Department officials refuse IN
any way to discuss it.
Doubt PrIsoners' Claim.
Lacking any details of the Aus
trian claim to the capture of 10, ,OOl
prisoners. allied critics here believ,
/ it an eNagEeration. To have mad,
such a bag. they say, would NEAR
that the Austrians had broker
! through or dented in the line on :
scale which does not appear pos
sible from the reports OF the battl,
now in hand. On the whole. Wash,
! ington is awaiting the development.
| with confidence. II Germans ar,
sent to Italy it will mean a confes
sion OF defeat in France. and tha
Germany is not prepared at thii
time to make, according to observ
ers here.