The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-08-21
THE ITALIAN "INDIAN SIGN" ON
AUSTRIA
(By Will Irwin

The Italians, in my humble, unmili-
tary opinion, have 1.-The Indian Sign
on the Austrians.
When these two armies meet on
even terms, the brilliant little sons of
the South seem usually to win. Be-
fore the Caporetto disaster, Italy and
Austria fought twelve general engage
ments In eleven of them, the Ital-
ians had the advantage. In only one
the Thentina advance early in 1916,
did the Austrians win. Even that VIC
to clinch it; when Brusiloff's often
sive in the East created a diversion,
the Italians pushed them back to their
old positions. In the disaster of 1917,
the brunt of the work on the side of
the Central Powers was done by crack
German shock regiments, so that the
general rule was not broken. In the
old days when Italy was not a state,
Napoleon in momen of disgust, said:
H'u hhduS ltaiy oO llldl AuSIii Id
might have someone to beat" In this
war as in Garabaldi's campaigns, It
ally has taken sweet revenge for that
saying.
How Italy would compare with Ger
many in straight, stand-up fight, we
have no means of knowing. The Ca
poretto affair was by no means test.
All nations have their waves of high
and low morale; this is especially
true of an artistic, temperamental
people like the Italians. In the au-
trmn of last year, Italy was in the
Il ough of such wave. Defeatist and
reasonable elements within the ma
ton were trying their best to sabo-
tage the war. They allied themselves
with the substle, lying, German pro-
pagandists. An underground assault
on morale, carried out with a devilish
| ingenuity, succeeded in breaking
down utterly the resistance of the two
divisions which held the Caporetto
line. They opened up, and let the
German shock troops through into
the rear of the Italian positions. An
inevitable disaster followed 1t was
at the Italian front during this ter
rible period and l know what am
saying. Words, not bullets, won that
battle
What the world did not appreciate
at the time was the glory of Italy in
face of this disaster. The whole, i'm
portant right wing of the Italian ar
mics was forced back in what looked
like utter confusion. They had lost
all their best artillery and more than
100000 men taken prisoner. Yet
within week they got together and
Heaven knows how-stopped the
Teutonic onrush dead at the Piave
River. France and Great Britain
rushed troops to this front, but Italy
herself had made the stand before her
Allies were engaged.
This was no surprise to those who
know the Italian army. There is no
better soldier in this game than the
Italian peasant-descendan of the
men who formed Julius Caesars ever
victorious legions. In action, the
"arditi" or storm-troops, are a set of
wild dervishes. The bersighlieri, or
marching troops, who screened the
retreat last October, performed deeds
of intelligent valor which stand oVt
even in this war where desperate
bravery is a commonplace. The cal
pini", or mountain troops, have fought
and won ON the submits of the Alps
at heights and under conditions which
man never brayed before. The army
organization is a marvel of simplicity
and efficiency, The military engineer
ing of their able, expert techniciaEs
has revolutloned that science.
AS write Thursday. June 2O) the
Italian resistance appears TO have
stopped the rush as sharply and def
nitely as q sharp tackle stops a run