New-York tribune., 1919-01-27

on a frowning frontier, with almost
impossible mountains, with an in
trepidity worthy Of the epic days of
Rome, hurled themselves against the
superior foe; but they won victories
which cheered the world.
Then, after long months of fight
ing and of suffering, there came the
day of trial. the day of defeat, of
withdrawal, and the army fell back
into the valley of the Piave, and the
heart of the world stood still, and on
every tongue was the question, will
the line hold" because if that line
( should break men trembled to think
of the evil that might follow.
But in those ominous days there
never was moment when we did not
know that the line would hold. The
lta ian soldiers summoned the stuff Of
whicn they we're made, and to their
France and Great Britain, and America
sent detachment which made up in
daring what it lacked in number and
the line held"
Italian Claims Justified
Major La Guardia told of the ella
Italy is making at the peace conference
as including only such changes as will
safeguard the liberties of the small
peoples Of the Balkans. He said the
Italian demands for territory included
but few square miles.
Then he plunged into the story Of
the breaking of the Italian line and tn >
ers to get through to Rome and Genoa,
and ultimately to attack France from
the rear.
"In October OF 1917 the line broke
and the Austrians came on" he said.
"Fhey were not bent on going to Rome
They wanted to break through the line
to get to Milan and then to Genoa and
attack France from the southern from
tier. because, if they could have at
tackled France there France would have
had to weaken her line on the Western
front to mold the line at the south. On
October 26 the line broke. My friends
the Austrians captured every bit of
artillery the Italians had. They came
down into Udine, and captured all of
the quartermasters supplies. and
large amount of livestock of the whole
country.
"The people of Italy realized that it
was not the safety of the country that
was at stake, but it was the safety Of
the world. There was no coal and
troops could not be transported rapidly
Every camp and training concentration
cantonment was called upon to send
all of its men. The class of 1900 boys
eighteen years of age, who were sup
posed to train for another year, were
called to the front You could see the
anxious look on these boys, sitting in
these trains, suffering because they
could not go faster.
Men Sent to Certain Death
1.-The Italians knew that it was neces-
sary to retard the onslaught of the
Austrians, and brigade after brigade
of cavalry was thrown in to certain
death in order to delay the advance of
this army. And finally, when they got
to the Piave, there was no artillery,
there were no trenches, there were no
wire entanglements; but there the
Austrians met an impregnable wall
formed of the manhood Of Italy that
said, Stop, you go no further,
And that was the beginning of the
end Cor the Hohenzollcrns and the
Hapsburgs. Like flash Italy was re-
organized and reunited. From the gun
plants Of Genoa $500 cannon we're
sent to the front. Then French and
British reinforcements arrived. AS the
chairman says, Mazzini was the spirit,
Cavour the brains. Garbaldi the arm of
Italy; but it was the little front of the
Piave that united Italy and saved the
day"