The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-09
FRANK H. SIMONDS' WAR ARTICLE
Waterloo of Habsburg-ItaH Triumbhs
BY FRANK H. siMoNps, Autt

Not since Waterloo has any Euro
pean battle coincided with so imme-
dlate and complete a collapse Of q ma
ton as did the Austrian disaster in tho
second battle OF the Piave. Indeed, one
muSt IN reality turn to Jena for any
tnlng like a parallel, for even after
waterloo France remained q definite
ana coherent unity, remained a force
TO be reckoned with in all future Eu-
ropean calculations. But Austria like
Prussia after Jena. has collapsed; her
existence Is a problem in the hands
OF her foes, who nay we'll avoid the
mistake made by Napoleon when he
permitted Prussia to continue,
IN the Italian triumph-and we must
frankly and freely recognize that the
triumph was Italian, since the allied
aid consisted Of but two British dlvis-
ions, n French division and a single
American regiment-the military as
pect is Immediately lost In the poiiti-
cal. AS a battle the second Piave
lasted at most for a week, the ami
Caporetto, one year ago, In tho be-
ginning the Austrian resistance was
sharp n determined, but before the
battle had progressed far there came,
first, a battlefield collapse, and then
a surrender to terms dictated On the
battlefield, an armistioe across the fir
Thus, in one short week We have
seen the surrender Of Turkey and Of
Austria, the liberation OF Serbia, the
passing OF the Coburg dynasty from
Bulgaria, the end OF the Hapsburg dy-
nasty In Austria Hungary. While the
Austrian army was losing It's last bat
tie the dual monarchy was breaking up
behind II, disbanding, resolving itself
into a group of republics, the number
still indeterminate, with Bolshevism
racing with nationalism to control the
ruins OF the fallen state.
Turn to Italy.
But II is TO the Italian side Of the
gigantic drama that we must first turn
4 hundred years ago the first aspira;
imperfectly but coherently In Napoleons
Kingdom OF Italy, a fragment OF the
real Italy, were crushed at the con.
gress OF Vienna The fair body OF
italy was thrown back TO the HapseurE
and Bourbon despoilers, Venice and
piedmont were made Austrian, the
wretched Neapolitan dynasty was re
stored, North Italy below the Pc valley
was again partitioned among princes
and princesses who turned 10 Vienna
for their support and conducted them
selves on Italian soil as German armies
have conducted themselves ia rIahSV
in the present war.
Italy slowly gathered the moral and
sniritual forces for her great awaken"
Ing And then, when the revolution
OF lsls swept over Europe. Italy tried
and failed. Novara seemed the uln
mate sanction Of the Austrian YOKE, a
The savoy sovereign who abdtcated
AFTER Novara and left his country,
seemed TO be carrying with him Inc
last hone Of 30, 900. 900 Italians,
But after Novara came the a%tt
change. Cavour undertook the mlgnts
task. Savoy allied herelt WIN FIance
and a new Napoleon acquired temporary
iaureIs in italy by the victories OF Sol.
feTino and Magenta, which liberated
Piedmont and doomed the patchNork
~ monnrchies south OF the 70. Oatl-
baldi and his Immortal "~thoNsan
swept the Bourbons out OF Naples' but
tho Lesser Napoleon lost courage lei!
SS..p.tia atm in Austrian hands and
continued 10 defend the temporal pow
or Of the pope In Rome. A.
Then italy turned TO Prussia, IN
he war OF 1855 regained Nenetla- but
bismarck, like Napoleon ~ ia1.en .o
complete the liberation OF itaIy trieste
and tho Trentino, together WIN usonnb
yer. still outside the kingdom. French
oewsr ~ the poee, and Rome became
ssair altar centuries, the capltai OF
I've latin state OF Italy. And now
altar forty eight years more, the ltal,
Ian tricoior floats over Trieste n
Thsnt' italian liberation Ia complete, =
century Of struggle, OF agony ana OF
Sicyy l. ending with these asst splen-
did DAYS, when Austrian armies are
fleeinr in ruin or guaranteeing uncoh-
ditionally; a final e~xrungtnS OF the sor-
row Of Novara Is taking pIace'
Shows Soundness.
And this victory demonstrates clear
" the %soundness of italian statesman
ship In entering the world war on the
allied side more than three years and
a half ago. When the war came Italy
was still allied to Germany and Aus
tria, A marriage OF convenience grow
ing out Of the political policies OF
CrIspi and the manipulation OF Bis
marck condemned Italy TO fight against
the liberal nations OF the world, u Ger
many and Austria we're attacked or
claimed themselves he ssailed parties.
She was bound to defend the very jail
ers who held her brethren In ignoble
servitude.
The refusal Of italy to transform a
july, i2ll, was one OF tho decisive mo-
ments Of the whole war. HAD Italy
marched against France the battle OF
the Matue would have been a German
victory, for french corps which Just
suificed to win that struggle would have
bean fixed upon the Alpine frontier. |
But Italy did more than release French
sroopa; abe promptly oonfidsd TO the
world that she intAnded to be neutral !