New-York tribune., 1918-06-25
By William L. Mcpherson

dbter ON Cne lSOnZ0 is wiped
out. Italy has won her greatest VIC
tory Of the war-the greatest victory
to her credit since her rebirth as a
nation.
The Austro-H Hungarian retreat
across the Piave, begun on Saturday
night, quickly degenerated into a
rcut. Under the circumstances no
orderly withdrawal was possible. The
Piave was swollen to torrent. Ac,
cording to Italian reports, less than
half dozen sound bridges were left.
Rats and boats had to be employed.
A huge loss Of material was unavoid-
able. In the panic Of the getaway
guns and stores were abandoned.
Thousands Of soldiers were drowned
in the rushing waters.
Forty-flve thousand prisoners were
left behind on the west bank of the
river, according to dispatches re-
ceived yesterday by the Italian EN-
bassy at Washington. The War Of
flee in Rome, with its customary re-
straint, announced yesterday after
noon that only 1000 prisoners had
been counted to date. But that COM
munique probably dealt only with
the results of the battle up to Sum-
day evening. There is no reason to
doubt that wholesale surrenders oc-
Cured when the Austro- Hungarian
forces on the west bank of the Piave
found themselves hopelessly trapped.
The Italian armies have already
gotten across the river at four points
and are establishing bridgeheads at
Falze, Nervesa, Ponte di Piave and
opposite Capo Sile. Their cavalry
cleared the stream above the Mon
tello Plateau ard then turned south
east to operate in the region between
Conegliano and Oderzo.
There they are across the lines of
communication between General
Kuchbach's armies and those of Gen
eral Conrad Won Hoetzendorff. Were
they to turn northwest again they
would be on the flank and rear of the
Austro- Hungarian forces facing
south on the line from Montello to
Mount Tomba.
If the Austrian retreat from the
Piave continues to be disorderly the
whole enemy front in Northern Italy
will be speedily affected. About six
miles behind the Piave is the Livenza
River. But it is snort and shallow
and offers little protection to dis
organized army. Going east no nat
ural line of defence is to be found
until the Tagliamento is reached
about fifteen miles from the Piave.
There the Italians made a short halt
last fall in their retreat from the
Isonzo.
To make a stand on the Taglia-
mento would require considerable
stretching Of the Austrian line and
a retirement north from Mount
Tomba-also from the region about
Mount Grappa. A thoroughly
beaten army, retreating east, might,
IN fact, find no safe stopping place
in the Venetian Plain anywhere west
of the Isonzo. But to resume the
Isonzo positions as they existed in
1915, covering Gorilla and Trieste.
would mean abandonment by Aus
tria-Hungary cf all of Northern
Italy.
1t is too early to gauge the extent
Of Italy's victory SO far as terri
torial gains and the shifting of the
terrain Of battle are concerned. We
do not know yet how far the Con-
rad Won Hoetzendorff group Of
armies in the northern mountain
front has been demoralized. The
suggestion has come from Italy that
the Austrian offensive-so disastrous
in the Piave Valley--may be renewed
from the north, with "stiffening"
of German troops hurried from
France.
But such an operation would be
the desperate play of a ratified gam
bier. The Italian lines on the north
are very strongly held. Hoetzendorff
could make no impression on them
last week. The Italian strategic re-
serve has not been involved to any
great extent in the present battle.
With Kuchbach fleeing east across
the Venetian Plain, the whole Austro.
Hungarian limo is dislocated. It
must be restored. The offensive has
passed to Italy. .Boroevic's first care
will probably, therefore, be to limit
the retreat of his left wing, while
giving ground with his centre and
possibly his right-in order to COM
plete new defensive alignment.
German help would be worth little
now in the way of getting shat
tered offensive on it's feet again. It