South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-12
THE ITALIAN FRONT
By Frank H. Simonds

dangerous position might be driven southcastward
toward Venice and away the rest of the Italian
armies they might. in fact, be caught in the swamps
below TrevisO and east of Padua, and be taken.
This is the weakness the present Italian situa-
ton is excessively unlikely the Austrans could
force the Italians of their present along the
Pave, which has fortified during winter and is
as good line as is necessary to have in
porary form of warfare The strong positions
the WhOle ON the Italian side OF the river the
something OF obstacle, and Italian
behind it far better than those the for
rushing reserves to imperled
Therefore il would that if the Italians are TO
be evcted from the Piave position they
out rather than forced evcted by threat
rather than by a drive their N a word
the vital sector Is not that behind the Piave but
between the Piave and the Astco where Austrians
are hardly more than dozen miles from the vital
railroad This Is the front now mentioned i'm the dis
patches; this is the front which the Ausrans made
their great offensive OF 1914, which failed
Austrian troops had TO be shipped eastward
victorious Russians in Galcia. Here too. the
Germans were making their supreme effort last
tunln and early winter, when the and stop
ped all operations
In this the Italian situation markedly repro
duces that of the French before Verdun March ana
after March, 1916 although the scale
In March, 1916 the French the Mouse tenn
porarly checked the Germans after having retire
considerable ground They had good positions
their hands. but they had lost all but the very last
series of gun positions which they could hope
base successful defence OF the forts and hills of the
sector of the Meuse
Literally the French were fighting with their backs
the river, as the adj
vance although with great slOWness, the French
pushed down hill toward the Mouse Now the Aus
trans. by their Ofensiyes of 1916 and 1917 have
rived almost the edge of Venetian plain. The
Italians hanging the foothills. If
they pushed these. if the AustrianS get
ward for distance OF less than and hardly more
than five miles more. either the Bretna and
AscO valleys between the Brenta and the PiaVe val
Iey, then the Austrans will hold all the high ground
overlooking the plain and the Italians will have
make new and very great Encouragement OF their
lines.
year. when there was a prospect such
advance by the Austro- Germans, there general
expectation that the Italians would retire behind the
lines the Adge. that they would
eryhng north and of this river and stand before
Verona and thence behind il the Adriatic Such a
Encouragement lines would meant, would still
Vicenza and the practical of all of the province
Nenetia-
The long delay to winter given the Italians
chance prepare intermediate lines, recalling the
"switchnes" the Hindenburg system in
France. Thus. should the Austrians reach the
plain behind the Piave line and between the Paye and
the Bretna the Italians might be expected draw back
behind the Brenta and hold the from BassaHo
the behind the Brenta This would mean the loss
destruction Venice. would bring the
Austrian artillery enough TO batter the town To
dust Even il il did surrender il would mean the
destruction OF Padua just behind the Brenta but il
German advance, if assume German troops
will be again used. would ave the Italians still able
To stand behind the Bacchigone, il would
the surrender of Padua.
All these possible would shortening the
line and improving the Italian situation on the mill