Arizona republican., 1918-03-26
ITALIAN WAR TO BE
 LEADERSHIP TEST
Brooklyn Fla gle)

This has been war of superior or ganization against superior resources, | rather than a contest of generalship, but it has reached a stage where the question of leadership may become the decisive factor in ending the struggle. ! This is especially true of the situation I in Italy. There the armies have come | down from the tops of mountains and cannot for some time at least resort to | trench warfare. In the matter of men and guns Italys allies should see that her forces are equal if not superior to the invaders. For the rest the issue depends upon the generalship displayed. Much is being. said just now about the 'Napoleonic" strategy of the Ger man high commend In this war of nation against nation, rather than army against army, there has been compara- l lively little of the kind of military i strategy associated with the great l generals of history. On both sides the most conspicuous maneuvers of this kind have been distinguished by fail l ure. Joffre's counter offensive in AL | sace while the Germans were march, ing through Belgium was such move, while von Kluck's blunder before Paris | in misjudging the position Of French l numbers was a corresponding German mistake
 At the Marne and before Nancy, French leadership showed at it's best, while the German Crown Princes fail ure around Verdun at this time was notable.
 Since that time the most conspicuous German achievement on the western 1 front, attributed to generalship. was | the successful retreat last spring.
 In the east there is another story to tell. Hindenburg's victory over the | Russians at Tannenburg was partly the result of Russian treachery and was largely discounted by the early Rus sian successes over the Austrians. Fur thermore Hindenburg failed before Warsaw time after time until the con- quest of all of Poland was made pos- sible by Mackensen's great stroke on | the Dunajec
 Mackensen is the outstanding Ger man commander in actual strategic &C., complishments. In Galicia, in Serbia and against Rumania he displayed those qualities associated with great generaiship. In every case he was op- posed by inferior forces, if not in num- ners, then in guns and munitions, and the generalship of his opponents was | unequal Tn every respect.
 Alexieff, Grand Duke Nicholas and Brusiloff stand out as commanders and might have Fivaled Mackensen. if they mad been supported as he has been. but German troops have not met an enemy or anything like equal resource in the Kind of warfare that brought fame to Mackensen since the beginning of the war, when. as we have shown. the al : lies at least held their own
 On the Venetian plains the Austro- German invaders will meet such an enemy. That is what makes the Italian campaign so vital. It furnishes the western allies an opportunity to match their generalship against the Teutons under conditions where leadershir means everything.
 General Cadorna has distinguished hlmself as strategist and as a con- mander. He is now to meet the su preme test. The outcome of the strup- sle now imminent will determine the question of whether or not allied stra- tegy IS equal to saving Italy from the rate Of Serbia and Rumania. It is the ilrst opportunity of the kind the allies have had.
 Armies and nations have been tested put leadership, history old military strategy. must now decide the issue
 Ihe late of Italy, if not the outcome or the war, rests upon the quality of leadership opposed to the Teutons III this campaign.