South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-12

ming o a depressed morale a posi-
bic political disturbance following the loss OF Its-
ian territory
In any event, the Italian field 5 the important
field; result in this sector will much affect the de-
cisOn which he had in France. and II the Ital-
ians stand successfully the defensive i'm their
country they will be able contribute materially
making the result i'm France decisive The conquest
and elimination Italy would much help Germany.
because by the time IL brought about, it could
be brought about America would have arrived I'm su-
cent strength the balance In France. which
is, has been and will remain the decisive field
Now do not mean 10 he understood rs forcca,ting:
any Italian retreat any loss OF important pO
sitiOns. The news that comes to Of the Italian
tepDer and Drospects l. distinctly bopefuI Ttcro
gainsaying the rally Italy after her great dis
Rster of last year The country has responded 60 the
lash adversely did the invitations
the earlier victories Moreover there has been
real demonstration Italy OF the sympathy and readi
of her allies. British and French sti
in numbers I'm Italy and their last wear
Enthusiastically saved Italy from supreme disaster
Italy, her prime minister recently said, has he
come the right wing of the allied front With the
ing of the unified command on the allied side Foch has
taken the responsibility the defense OF Italy
well that of France What Italy needs In artillery
and i'm munitions Foch viii supply just As he VIII ask
Italy to furnish of which she has superabund
10 aid the allies i'm France HencefOrth the Italian
will be completely under the and the
direction of FOch other sector I'm that and
single front, which, for the Swiss interruption.
runs from the User TO the PiaNe, from NieupOrt
the lagOons east OF Venice
The political questions raised by the prospective Aus
tran offensive far less simple than the
if prove successful and permit
the Adge" the military side she Will gain shorter
front and abolish the present separation of her armies
the plain those the mountains, and she will
temporarily occupy more of Italian territory. The
moral effect of the reOccupadon Of venice after
than half a century of absence will
thing. But these things are not OF overwhelming inn
portance.
We may say that Austrian expects Haps-
burg rule restored in all of Nenea- There has been
talk annexauons in ;Ic FruIian districts
the Julian frontier but this i improbable
and all events represents the extreme OF Austrian
purpose To conquer more ground now, only To cVacu
later is help much IL there he pros
of indemnity; and there il no prospect OF in
demnity from Italy in the future.
The Austrian army exceedingly well
fensive last year although the spearhead Of the
cessfu attack supplied by six German di
visions. Since that time there has been very marked
decline in the morale OF the Austrian people aud the
reports conditions Austria doubt that
the great majority OF the people suffering acuely
and have other desire than 10 make peace.
campaign against Italy now will be campaign
dictaled by Germany ana cohi"Cted TOT the purpose OF
renewing the strain upon the mann German operation IN
and Belgium Its viii bring Aus
tria peace because il viii affect Britain
the United States with whom the
question peace As for Italy. for her make
peace would be confess ruin and suffer
thing of ROumania. Italy henCcforth kept
in the by the problems OF selfprescryatOn. which
longer hidden from any element I'm her poPua-
ton Last year. when her armies Austrian soil
and the issues OF the were expressed i'm Italian
hopes annexation OF Irrcdenta lands. quite
different Now peace means the surrender of Italian
territory not the surrender of hoped for acquisitions
from the Austrans.
We may fairly conclude that Austria will 90
antly a campaign which her
be served. We may conclude that the morale
the Austrian armies Will be equal the
morale revealed last year. IT, il probable, the
opening attacks involve huge casualties results I'm
army i'm the nation may be of tc gravest char
There Is a risk which fail per
in forcing Austria into offensive; and,
without forcing, Austria would not and will not take
the offensive.
signs fail Austria is tending toward
breakdown like that which wrecked Russia Her pop
uatiOn, up a races, contains mill
who actually dislOya and sympathze with the
allies the central powers. The southern SaHs and
Italians have recently adjusted mutual ritalrics
over along the AdTiac Italian claims which in
the past enlisted the Jugo-sIays in Hapsburg ser
vice. The C1eCEs of Bohemia have displayed evil
OF their age long antpathy Tor the Germans.
The Poles have been notOriousy dissatisfied ever
the Brest-Ltovsk arrangement. dissatisfied that
hear that they have had 10 be plaeated by
the Cholm district But such recession
would arouse the Ruthenians and the Ukrainans
in a word We the discordant character OF the
AustrO- Hungarian populations. and daily eyi-
dences OF growing revolt among whole blocks of the
population; know that the economic question D.
acute, that problem j. difficult. and
that present offensive. n does come viii be the
consequence Of external not Of internal poll
Austria was. Russia. the weakest the great
Europe the beginning of the and
weaknesses have led collapse OF Russia 10
i indulge in prophecy Austria has outVed
centuries OF prophecy; but Il l., at the least far
impossible that unsuccessful offensive or
locally successful offensive which costs too much NAV
prove the last At all events, his Is
possibility Italian campaign, the import
ant result which be looked
remember all times that the Italian
field Is subordinate, that il il side show" The fate
OF O. the world viii De decided France
and Belgium, and nowhere else, and the viii be
or lost Germany i beaten or succeeds IN her
present final bid for a decision The Italian operation
interesting; may have important results with re-
to the new Europe which il to come; but Il viii
the military side. influence materially the result