The Washington herald., 1918-10-27
BY ITALIANS -?
Offensive Takes New Phase
in View of Possible
Surrender.
WATCH EFFECT ON GERMANY.
Officials Here Most Interested in
Possible Result on Berlin of =
Austrian Step.

While little credence is placed
in the reports of preparations for
rehabilitation of the Austro-Hun-
garian army, the possibility Of
such a step is not denied by off
cialS here.
The natural thing for Austria to
do, however, would be to seek an
audience with the military and
naval heads of the armies and
navies directly opposing her, it
was said yesterday. This is what
Turkey is doing at this time. and
her capitulation to the allies is
not far distant.
Taken in connection with the
report OF rehabilitation, however,
the Italian offensive, begun yes
terday, assumes a new phase. The
condition OF the Hungar-
ian army may have prompted Ital-
ian drive, and if the reports of de-
mobilization are true, it may be-
come the real invasion of the al
ready tottering dual monarchy.
Report from Switzerland.
The Austrian report, which was
widely circulated in Europe. reached
here this afternoon in a dispatch to
French diplomatic quarters from
Basel, which said:
, According to an information
from Swiss source the Vienna pa-
pers are publishing communica tions
concerning preparations for demob-
ilizatiOn."
Interest here in the Austrian sit
uation is confined largely on the ef-
feet it will have on Germany. Should
Austria follow Bulgaria's lead. the
end of the war, it is admitted, would
be almost Immediately in sight.
Austria is generally credited with
an army of from 1900. 900 to 5000 =
600 men, though this number has
been greatly reduced of late by de-
sertiOns. deaths from disease. and
other causes outside of actual mill
tary losses.
An Austrian debacle would instant
ly release from 100000 to 1000. 900 ItaI-
ian and allied troops for operations
against Germany, either through Aus
tria or on the Western front. With
conditions as bad in Germany as the
| world knows they are, that nation
would be powerless to reduce it's forces
| on the West front in an attempt t.
thwart an invasion via Austria, and
If she did make the attempt, the allies.
NayO1tlI tho West
sweep directly into Germany. 1t is
therefore easily recognized how des-
perate would be the plight Of Ger
many.
If the Austrian report is true. or
even has the semblance of truth to ~,
il may hasten action on the other side
in the general direction OF peace
Formulation of the terms of an arm
stice, by the entente powers and the
| United States, is now under way, and
Germany would be compelled to ac-
cept almost any terms If she knew
Austria's official military life had but
| a short time to run.
Anxious Over Armistice.
German press comment on Presi-
dent wilson's note, received here
yesterday in official dispatches from
Berne, reveals a mixed public opin-
| ion half satisfied because the Presi-
dent answered the German COM
munication but likewise extremely
anxious regarding the armistice
! terms of the entente. One disaptch
says:
The German opinion is plainly
aware that President Wilson's note
contains some demands which the
! la r.rf1I Nd ri
nit and the general feeling is one
rible anxiety"
The Berliner Tageblatt, it is
| pointed out, seems to know that the
| imperial government does not in
tend to send a reply and that it
considers the next move to be from
| the entente in the form of terms.
The conservative and pan-German
organs maintain their usual atti-
| tude, but protest against the treat
ment that appears to be in store for
/ Germany. Some typical comments
are:
Wilson wants to subjugate us"-
| The Berliner Neustre Zeitun - "wil-
son wants first to humiliate and then
annihilate us''-the Deutsch Tages
Zeitung.
According to the Berliner Zeitung
Won Acht Uhr the Reichstag shows a
great diversity of feeling while a
rather ambiguous statement is made
by the Nord Duetsche Allgemeine
Zeitung, as follows:
Wilson realizes the ability of the
political and military chiefs of the
| Western powers to carry out the sug-
gestions. Germany then must first
know on what terms the entente
would consent to an armistice and If
the entente is inclined to open peace
negotiations on the basis of the Will
son program"
The Germania evidently attempts 70
tranquillize its readers by saying the
Presidents note is framed in an en-
gaging way, and adding:
I'm a general way we think this
| CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.