Evening journal., 1918-01-04
BY JOHN H. HEARLEY

ROME. Nov. 70. lby Malil-ttdis -
stronger today in her defeat than she
was in the days OF her victorious pro-
gress.
An enemy menacingly gripping at
least 5000 square miles OF her land
rich IN medieval treasures and history,
with 100000 OF her children homeless
through the sweep Of those hordes and
with that enemy kept back only
through constant watchfulness and
never-ending battle along a ereat front
ALI this finds Italy more firmly united
than ever before in her war aims
IF the Kaiser hoped 60 have in
ternecinc domestic strife In italy aid
the work OF his massed armies IN the
Geld. he has been sadly disappointed.
Political parties have been united as
mover before. Even Italy's socialists
are working with the government in
drm determination to fight on 10 a VIC
tory.
Not even bread tickets and the thous-
and and one other war restrictions on
the plain people, The high cost Of liv-
ing. widespread suffering and sacrifice.
have failed TO crumbe this newly
found morale away. General living eA-
penses In Italy arc now about So per
cent. above peace times-but Italy is
not faltering
The spirit Is all the more remarkable
since 10 comes about as the result OF
a transition from victory TO the depths
Of a defeat as sudden as any recorded
In history. Through an of 1917 TO fall
the fates were kind 10 Italy General
Cadorns's brave troops pushed on and
on toward Trieste. italian arms were
steadily ascending
AZ the beginning Of 1917 The Italians
found themselves in an exceptionally
fortunate position. They had been the
vioiors In 4 series Of hard fought bat
fles between the Isonzo and the Carso.
As a result Of these successes, the
Italians enjoyed the advantages OF an
excellent strategic situation. They were
lighting almost entirely on enemy ter
ritory along an uninterrupted line 3l2
miles long, generally strongly fortified
and stretching from the Sielvio 20 the
Adriatic
Even an exceptionally severe winter
could not entirely paralyze the opera
,ions OF the Italian army The TrentinO
from 900 10 6000 feet in height
This sector was covered by deep
snow and constantly exposed 10 ava
lanches and bitterly cold winds. The
syerage winter temperature, moreover,
was 20 degrees Centigrade below zero.
On the other hand the Julian sector,
sloping down from Mount Urzli to the
Adristic was transformed by the i'm
petuous bora wind and continued tor
rents Of rain into a sea Of mud.
However, owing to climatic conditions,
there was a Ions interval IN The italian
offensive, from November, 1916. to the
middle Of May. 1917.
On the Upper lsonzo the Urzli massif
commanded the Tolmlno road. The Ital-
ians had succeeded IN occupying a con-
siderable portion Of this rocky stretch,
but some still remained IN enemy hands
on the plain the italian held the road
as far as the bridge Of san Daniels. But
The Austrians as a result cf a partial
success obtained in November. 1915, still
occupied the two brldgeheads Of Santa
Lucia and Santa Maria on the right
hank OF the river. 10 was through this
gap that the Austro-Germans EVENTUAL,
succeeded in breaking and entering
Italy
The Italians, on the other hand, oocu
pied a bridgehead between PLAYA an,
Zagora on the middle Isonzo's left bank
On the lower lsonzo they were master.
u both banks Of the river besides II:
.ribuatory, Frigido or Nippacco.
The formidable positions Of San Mich.
Gle, Sabotino and Podgora were alsC
italian. Gorilla was still in range Of
Austrian guns from the Vodice massif
he slopes OF Monte Santo and from
Nolts Gabrielle and san Daniele.
on the Carso Italian conditions wsr'
more favorable. The offensive Of Au.
gust and November, 1916, had enabled
ne Italians 30 gain a firm foothold on
he second terrace of the Carsic noun
aims. beyond the Doberdo valley, as fal
IS the fortified village Of Lakvica.
Further east the situation Of Nlontfal
rome was similar 10 that Of Gorilla Mon
ralcone was under the guns Of Mount
Hernada and OF it's advanced positions
The Hermada massif barring tho way tS
rriest.
During 1917 the Italians carried oui
,wo successful offensiyes, one IN th,
seoond half Of May and the other II
August and September. The operation.
extended from the lower and middle
lsonzo TO the upper lsonzo as fer az
rolmino
Since last spring IL was believed tba
ihe Austro-Germans were preparing f0l
big drive, but Cadornas offensive ap
parently upset the enemy's plans for th'
time being On this occasion the mos
important Italian successes were th,
conquest Of Mount Cuk, the Nodice mas
sif and Monte Santo. although part u
he latter remained under hostile fire
The Italians resumed the offensive il
August from the Tolmino sector Il
Monfalcone and Hermada. At the lat
ter point the offensive had a merel,
dlyersive or demonstrative character
while the real objective was the Balm
sizza plateau, which was successful!
occupied in spite OF enormous dihloul
lies.
AL this was in the bright days o
HE year-when Italys star was rising
Then came the dark days Of October
The Austro-German offensive reach
I'd its full violence during the nigh
Of October oath The operating from
stretched over ten k,lometers betweei
he plezzo hollow and the Tolmino
-sporetto road.
The night attacks, favored by heav
log and by other circumstances, prov
Cd, completely successful. and Ia
Austro-Germans, aided by Turkish an
Bulgarian forces, at ence adopted IN
,aVorite Pruss. an encircling maneuvel
Vrho onoror, o-ro1tro1Is inrrrocad fhaI