Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-19
INSIDE STORY OF ITALIAN RETREAT Wy Herbert Corey

~ARIS, Dec. 16.-(By Mail.)-One factor in the
- italian situation that mast not be forgotten
is that Italy, alone of the European allies
still has great available man-power reserve.
There are very few soldiers over thirty-six years
of age serving in the italian armies. There are
thousands upon thousands of men from twenty to
thirty years old in the cities who have never been
called
1t must likewise be understood that these men
are of high military quality There are few better
soldiers when they we'll led.
These facts are of prime Importance at this
time when in spite of their military successes
Germany and Austria are approaching the end OF
their man and material resources They Will as
suredly be able now to reprovsion their armies to
some extent from Russia and to release many d.
visions from the extreme eastern front
Nevertheless, the central powers are in that
same condition of moral and material deterioration
of which | wrote from Switzerland. This encour-
aging fact has been somewhat overshadowed by the
gloom of the last few weeks, but it remains fact
The central powers will undoubtedly stake every
thing on the events Of the next few months. The
ability to draw on this man-power of Italy
is of immense value to the allies now.
In view OF the recent debacle my statement
that the Italian troops are of high military value
will certainly be challenged by the uniformed Yet
the manner in which they have fought since the
great retreat should be convincing. | have tried to
show some of the moral reasons which brought that
retreat about. There plenty more. Not only
were the men kept in darkness by the government
but they were most inconsiderately treated by the
high command.
Italy Had Good Army
The reason was the same in both instances. To
a medieval conception of the autocrat1c functions
of a government added complete failure to
realize that Italy in feeling if not in FORM is es-
sentially democracy The government and the
great Headquarters alike feared to trust the army
The Italian government very properly postponed
entrance upon the conflict to the last possible mo-
ment This due primarily to the financial con-
dition of the country At the outbreak ,of
Italy was broke" The preceding war had emptied
her Golfers. 1t realized that war of six to
eight months was all that the country could stand
without allied aid, and the italian government then
believed the war would last longer. Like the
rest of the world. Italy was deceived by propa-
ganda which wholly misrepresented the essential
strength and solidarity Of the central empires.
If the war had proved to be short one, Italy
would have gone through it with flying colors At
the outset her troops were magnificently equipped.
They were well armed, clothed and fed. | saw
them in 1916 and portion of them again in the
early months of 1917, and at that time the organ
ization still excellent. But as time went on
the equipment deterorated OF late the men have
not been fed as they should have been, clothed
as they should have been. But the Italian peasant
soldier is a brave and patient creature If he had
been properly treated in other respects he would
have fought on.
Always back of the lines has been the socialist
propaganda for peace and the German propaganda
for defeat. The government felt itself on unsafe
eround II sought to keep the army out of contact.
In the effort to keep disaffection from spread
ing in the army, leave has been practically refused
This is not to say that leave has been granted,
hut not upon the scale demanded Men were kept
at the front for month after month. large part
of the army too, are elderly men from the ltaIan
viewpoint Called originally because they had mill
itarv training they were kept in line. Most of these
men had families When they heard from their
families which was none too often the news was
depressing. Food The boys and girls
were running wild for lack of paternal authority.
Things were going wrong