Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-25

This war, which began In the Ball
kans. may be ended by the defeat Of
the central empire In that very area.
After Serbia was lost owing To blum
derings OF the entente diplomacy. the
Balkanic front was regarded AZ or no
Importance. and the Saloniki expedition
for more than two years sank to "a pas
sive protection of the eastern Medi-
terranean from becoming field of
U-boat activity. The idea did not then
prevail that the expedition could be
used for Q blow against the vital in
terests of the foe. But the unforeseen
prolongation OF the war gives oppor-
tunity for revision Of many Ideas. Now,
when by the last events on the Marine
the turning point has been reached aNd
the western front seems assured
against ny decisive German blow. the
Balkan front is again looming large in
the horizon.
In this article propose to deal only
with Typographical conditions Of that
front, leaving out the many and i'm
portant political and strategical conse-
euences of an advance of the allied
forces.
IRE recent successful operations of
French and italian forces in Albania
coll for our first attention. In my opin-
Jon, to bring real and lasting results.
those operations must end in the occu-
patton Of Durazzo, Tirana, and Elbassan
in Albania. The Austrian forces oper-
ating in the Balkans would thus be put
to serious disadvantage, whereas many
and important advantages would accrue
to the allies.
In the loss Of DurazZo the Austrian '
would lose a valuable naval and mill
tary base. Their army must then de-
pend for supplies on the only road lead
ing from Cattaro via Montenegro and
Scutari to northern Albania. They can
not with any advantage use the ports
of San Giovanni di Medua, or Antibari.
because they are open ports and there
fore much exposed to successful aerial
and naval raids of the allies. More
over, the enemy's raids by U-boats in
the Adriatic would become less eff
fectiye, as their base must be removed
further north. making the transports of
the allies far safer during their occu-
patton.
Even supposing that the Austrans.
during their occupation, have built a
good road from Cattaro via Cettinje to
Scutari and further to DurazZo, their
difficulties in supplying large army
around Durazzor would be enormous.
Everything must be brought to Cattaro
from Austria Hungary. since all ada
cent lands in Dalmatia, Herzegovina.
Montenegro, and Albania are without
food or industry. Actual starvation is
now upon them. Cattaro is connected
with great military centers only by a
single narrow gauge railway line.
Therefore the real base will be not
'attaro, but Trieste or Fiume, at the
-lher end Of the Adriatic. But the
enemy's transports in the Adriatic are
exposed to the gravest dangers, as is
proved by the successful attack and
sinking of Austrian dreadnoughts by
Italian raiders north of Cattaro. The
country northeast of Durazzo is an in
tricate maze Of barren mountains over
which only goats can pass. The Aus
TRAN army could therefore. move only
along the coast
The environs Of Durazz Tirana. and
Elbassan are the only area in central
Albania where supplies can be got for
the use of an army. Aside from this,
the occupation of Durazzo offers i'm
-portant strategic advantages. 1T is
4 naturally protected port. within four
hours of the Italian shore (Brindisi to
Durazzo eighty miles. Bari to Durazzo
100 miles) and therefore easily con-