Evening star., 1918-06-23
ICHECK TO HUNS IN LATEST DRIVE
MOST HOPEFUL FACT FOR ALLIES
I'm THREE MONTHS OF FIGHTING

Austria are exceedingly bad. The
country is ruled by two minorities.
German minority in Austria and a
Magyar minority in Hungary.
In Austria the German minority can
only govern with the aid OF some
Slavonic party. In the past IL has
purchased the support Of the Poles by
allowing them approximate suprem-
acy in Galicia- But the Poles now de-
mand that Russian Poland shall be
allotted TO Austria Hungary and that.
together with Galicia. II shall be
come a third autonomous state In the
Hapsburg monarchy. This is the so
called Austrian solution" of the Pol
fSh question.
Germany. on her side, firmly op-
poses such a solution. because II
would create a compact Polish stale
OF some 20.00o.o00 people. barring her
road to Russia and bound to seek the
liberation of 100000 German Poles
in Silesia, Posen and east and ives:
Prussia. For nearly two years the
Polish question has been a cause OF
disagreement between Berlin and
Vienna Austria cannot conduct her
own affairs without the aid OF the
Poles. as result of the attitude OF
tho other Slavs. Germany sees in an
Austrian Poland . peril to her unity.
Bolshevism in Austria.
Again. Austrian Slavs returning
from Russia are preaching bolshe-
vism. which Is listened to by hungry
populace. Bohemia is in state OF
INSTRUMENTATION closely approaching
rebellion. The southern Siavs are get
ting out of hand and more and more
tending to unite in demanding an In
dependent, or at least an autonomous.
southern Siav state. dangerous alike
to German and Magyar interests and
likely to bar the road OF Hohenzol-
o ,Sfn IN "a
In this situation, with more than
half its population mutinous and seek
ing racial and separattst aims. with
economic crises following each other
rapidly, with famine in certain re-
gions, Austria Is slowly or rapidly
the question Is solely one of pace
relapsing into an anarchy only de-
layed by German influence. To keep
their hold the reigning family and
the ruling races are steadily sur
rendering more and more of their
country's freedom to Germany. But
growing more and more bitter.
Stalking All on Drive.
On top of this domestic situation
comes an Austrian offensive against
Italy. If this means anything 1t
means that the Hapsburg regime Is
stalking all on possible victory. look
ing to success on the field to silence
disorder at home. This is the tradi-
tional policy, but it carries the tradi-
tional danger. Defeat in the field
Is bound to accentuate disorder at
home. Anything short of decisive
triumph may prove fatal
II there is anything surprising in
the Austrian operation IL is supplied
by the fact that Austrian troops are
being used in Italy and not in France.
To judge from early accounts all the
Austrian army is at work in Italy.
and this means that for weeks at best
no Austrian troops will appear on the
west front. And these are the weeks
that are likely to settle the issue of
the campaign of 1918. This removes
a cause of anxiety-slight to be sure
for few observers believed Austrian
troops would be brought into France
but still real We are better able
now to measure the maximum of pos
the sea.
Looks Well for Italy.
shall discuss the Italian operation
In some detail next week. 1t is sutti-
cient to say now that the first three
days were, on the whole, highly IA
vorable to our Italian ally. There was
nothing suggesting a repetition of the
Isonzo disaster and, save at one or
| two points. no valuable ground was
| lost But the operation seemed only
| in its first stages and it would be a
mistake to draw too broad conclu-
sions from premises SO narrow.
But with the opening of the cam
paign in Venetia we are beginning to
get a full measure of our foes pur-
poses for this year. He may still have
plans in the Balkans, but even this is
doubtful, for Bulgaria is beginning
to give evidence of domestic disorder.
and any Balkan campaign would be
mainly a Bulgar enterprise All In
all. we are getting on toward the
halfway mark in a campaign in which
our enemy is stalking all upon imme-
diate decision. with the old alterna-