Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-26
ALLIES. HARD BLOW
AT AUSTRIA VITAL
Stroke Timed to Fit III With
Vienna's Unrest and Depres-
sion, Expert Says.

Washington. ID C.. Oct % The high
spots in Yesterdays war news according
to n military critic are to be found IN the
activities on the italian front lie says.
The most interesting news in the
war theatres Yesterday was the beginning
of an attack BY the Italian French and
British troops on front reaching from
the Piave river 10 the Brenta That
this move was made To synchrOnlzc with
the unrest IN Austria IS almost certain.
This is no time Of The year 10 begin an
essentially military operation IN The
mountains Normally. The snow IS al
ready falling. ard once il Deglns fighting
becomes impossible In fact. the reports
eintc that thc weather IS oven now un-
favorat Ia Therefore We may conclude
That there - strong political motive
IN the attack
AUSTRIAN ARuf Easy %oW
"ThIs serves tn emphasize The rlmors
that NC have received as 10 the internal
conditions Of Austria ndoubtellY Y both
Rome and London have more accurate
information as to this situation than has
been permitted TO bc published IN tins
country, information which would seem
10 Indicate that if dcfeai could Ue ad-
minlstrrcd 10 tho Austrian army at the
present inncturc Austria would be forced
10 sue for peace As Was stated sotno
DAYS ago, II Austria should withdraw,
the wav IL the country east II tho Rhine
INTO Germany would bo opened. and the
end of the wsr would come rapidly
Il ndor ordinary circumstances II
might he SAID that thc Allies have attack
cd on front which holds the greatest
menace 10 Austria Nine miles ~ the
Fiaye from tho proarntfrnnt or from
thc front pcfcfa he attack was launched
i the town 81 FeIirc through winch
pasaca the railroad lhrough Bclluno
southward 'fhls Is he malu supply
Inc for the Apstrans wtst II the Pfavc,
To the Brcnta md along tho upper PIavc
If this point Is reached, 4 y almost Ger
tain hat n material readJusimcnt Of thr
Austrian lines will have - follow
MY RI rnFuur<.nY TO nc DRfvE
II is extremely doubtful however
whether nattcrs can ne pushed very FAR
III this scasm because of thc weather
conditions Whlch have airoadp boon
mentioned In fact, i IS doubtful 4 Il
| IS int ended - push tho fighting - z
| definite finish II NAV bc further said
| that = s by no means certain that ne
| front mentioned Is to bc the main theatre
1 Nft tfftf8t itHt~ 3lfttA III IHlAtfttt if''
encc ig made m 10 reports of certain
advantages galnod % tho Pave front
! proper The southern Piare il br nn
means Impossible As fighting ground
in the winter II anything i Is quite
| thc opposite II may pe then, nat he
| fighting n the mountains l. merely a
| preliminary operation ~ the waN q 4
| diversion 70 cover 3 much more serious
1 and more extended movement along The
| Plave
There Is one polnt Of similarity he-
twccn the allied position ~ Italy and nc
| German position ~ France on March y
| Both are operating On lnterIor lines IL
! is QUESTIONED IL Fowevcr whether this
advantage Is not Offset BY the disad-
yanfagcs
FocH nan xA>T.eE POSITIONS
| II NAV be remembered hal when
| Marshal Foch WIS asked which positions
| he pould rather held Is 2 military prop
o4Ition his own or those 81 tho Germans.
| he rephcd unqufs;ionai ~ his own. The
reason for his was soon made apparent.
| Holding the two sides Of an enormous
wedge or elbow he was allie 10 direct
| ris strongest blow against one or both
Of tho sides ard hy tins threatening
!, "a fold one side back against the other
was ale 10 force n considerable retreat
/ The Gcrinars. on the other hand were
! al le % do httle more than force the
| Allies 70 extend heir lines. The further
| tie foe penetrated the more the Allies
| had to extend Il was jllst as if one We're
| stretching rubber band
This is the Allied position n Italy.
/ II they fcrcc the Piavc the Au,trians can
j pull back. extending their line 10 the cast
and keeping their flank fixed on ne sea
II will he only by creating a positive
! r,lTs tire that decisive military success
may be gained
RETPEAT FATAL TO AUSTRIA At HoME-
There ls. however. the question
! whether Austria can stretch her line,
10 meet the demands OF an Allied sue
cess The degree to which Austria can
undertake rctrograde movement :
also limited fcr # The indications oi inc
J Austrian internal situation are rightly
/ INTERPRETED. anything like Il retreat
will be immediately seized upon a a good
excuse 10 withdraw from tnc var. The
Austrian crisis would seem nov - be ~
IT'S height, needing but a military reverse
TO produce thc most chaotic condition
In the entire empire This IS particularly
true because Of the Hungarian situation
and the further fact that at last accounts
the Hungarians were holding the greater
part OF the front along the Playe
Certain II Is the Allies would not have
| begun operations IN Italy unless they
we're confident that good chance Tor
| success presented itself Once therefore,
the Piavc IS forced Austria may we'll look
Tor troutle