The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-01-22
ITALY IS MAKING
SLACkERS FIGHT
Minister of Treasury Routs Out
!48 Officers and Sends
Them to Front.
SEARCH IS on FOR OTHERS
Great Disaster to Cadorna's Army May
Be Blessing In DisguIse-voIun-
teers In NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Are Shot.
BY PHILIP r. MACKENZIE.

BY PHILIP r. MACKENZIE.
Rome.-On the eve of the great wa
while General Cadorna was hard {
work creating the italian. army de-
tined to unite Trent and Trieste wit
the kingdom 148 officers Of all rank
from colonies to sub-lieutenants, wer
given special work. This work cor
sisted In finding out how much none
was wasted during the Tripoli war.
A corridor in the ministry of tn
treasury accordingly was set apart TO
these officers, who during the last tire
years have been auditing accounts an,
taking their time In doing it, Will
their comrades fought the Austrian
and were wounded or killed in action
There is every reason to believe tina
the great task of auditing the accounts
Of the TripoH war would have beer
prolonged indefinitely, but the new
minister of the treasury, Signor Nitti
discovered the 148 officers hidden II
the corridor.
Royal Decree ls Issued.
Signor Nitt was disguised at the
sight Of so many professional officers
calmly working on the four simple
rules of arithmetic, and in "a hours
he had the case brought before cab
met council and royal decree was is
sued postponing the work of the 148
officers, who were ordered without de-
lay to the front.
No figures are available as to the
number of men physically fit yet ex-
empted from active military service.
Cases of so-called 'imboscamento, :"
meaning literally hiding in bushes"
to evade military service, have been
frequent in Italy.
The socialists, who oppose the war
and whose peace propaganda contrib
uted toward the recent military disas-
ter, repeatedly told the masses that in
peasants. The rich people do not fight,
said the socialists, as when one has
money he can easily "hide in the
bush."
The sons Of well-to-do tradesmen and
farmers as q rule, are drivers Of motor
lorries and ambulances, and those of
upper middle classes and nobility, who
should be officers, often prefer to drive
staff officers automobiles unless they
succeed in getting clerical work in Of
fees away from the front.
It is true that many young men vol
for active service as officers
In infantry regiments and sacrificed
their lives for their country, but they
we're q minority.
It must be admitted that up to the
present the mistaken impression pre-
JAILED that the hardest share Of fight
ng was borne by the peasant and Ia
boring classes, who suffered most Of
Ill from the war. This impression in
creased to such an extent that a great
proportion Of the men who returned on
hort leave from the front felt discOur-
ICED and dissatisfied when they real
zed that every city and town in the
was crowded with young men
Who evaded military service or who
wen If called to the colors succeeded
q remaining away from the front and
aw no actual fighting.
Some Deserters Are Shot.
As a result, besides those men who
to fight when their short leave
xpired, others felt justified in desert
ng. Some Of the latter were arrested,
and shot, and their
omrades were not impressed with
UGH exemplary punishments, which,
instead of serving as a warning, had
be opposite effect of exciting pity and
rovoking dangerous comparisons be-
ween the fate Of those who evaded
Military service and that of others who
ad done their bit and yet paid with
heir lives for moment Of weakness.
There were no doubt, other concomi-
ant causes that contributed to weaken
esistance on the Italian front when
1e well planned Austro- German often
i've was timely initiated. Thanks to
leir superior intelligence services at
re front and their espionage system in
lis country the tro-Germans knew :
here and when to attack with sue
ess. They resOrted. to propaganda
mong the Italian troops holding posi-
ons where no fighting had been going
q for long time.
1t is known now that after the riots T
Turin most of the munitiOn workers
no were socialists had been sent to
lie front and attached to the units :
0lding these positions. 1t was among
lese men that the enemy propaganda
as. successful, and the deficient resist
ice, due to weakness or treachery,
lat rendered the invasion of Italy pos
BILE originated at point which could
J easily defended by a handful of
en-, as it>was naturally strong and
fortified because it afforded :
e shortest way for invasion. On S
the men who held this
int gave way.
Boy Walks Mile In "Niqhtie." :
MOnana, IOwa.-Everett NewcOmb,