Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1917. THE AUSTRO-GERMAN OFFENSIVE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10120, 30 October 1917, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1917. THE AUSTRO-GERMAN OFFENSIVE.

Intkrkst for tlio time being is transferred from tlio Western to the Italian front, which General Cadonui assured the Allied Powers a few weeks ago must he the decisive theatre of the war. The Central Powers are apparently pressing for a decision there, and the forces they have massed for their offensive against the Italians seem to be proving all too powerful for the latter. The very serious set-back the Italian troops have sustained during the last few days effectually ends all prospects of a peace settlement on terms favourable to the Allies within the next twelve months, and, if the Austro-Gcr-man march upon Italy is not stayed, it may well happen that the latter Power will either find its territory decimated as Belgium, Poland, Serbia and Roumania have been, or bo forced to conclude a separate peace with the enemy. The fall of Gorizia, which was regarded by the great Napoleon as one of the keys to the doors of Klagenfurt and Vienna, the mountain stronghold being within 100 miles of Vienna, alters the whole complexion of the warfare on tlio Italian frontier, since it gives back to Austria the opportunity of invading Italy on a formidable scale, and places ! General Cadorna’s forces practically on the defensive, completely undoing the work of the last two and a-half years, and rendering a further offensive by .Italy impossible for many months to dome. The .Julian Alps form a natural oh Tensive barrier to the Isonzo, along which the Anstro-German troops are no w operating, and the withdrawal of tin * Italiaps to the other side of that nwr would seem to indicate that they Imwo been compelled to abandon the liei'ihts they purchased at such a tremcntlons cost of time, life and munitions' of war. The Alps must be rescaled. and Gorizia recaptured, before another Italian army can successfully ad v aim a along the Isonzo, which is Austria’s must vulnerable lino, and to obtain possession of which the Italians had first to secure the powerful terraces of the Julian Alps, which rise on three sides before Gorizia, the plateau of the c, o forming the southern tier, while tli river flowing through Gorizia makes its wav along the valley, into the open country bordering in the Gull of Ineste on the Adriatic Sea. THE ITAI lAN RETREAT. Tint Italians having withdrawn beyond Hm. Isonzo, Monfaleono has become untenable, and, if the Italians have not already evacuated the town, there is very ►serious danger of their being cut off altogether. The success of the German turning movement, operated front Toltuino, in conjunction with the Austrian offensive along the Carso, may be the explanation of the German claim that iOO,OOO prisoners and TOO

gnus have heou captured, because, in both eases, the advancing troops would he converging upon the Isonzo. and cutting oil' the retreat of the Italian forces operating on the Carso. r lhe situation, although still obscure, seems to admit of no other explanation than that the Italians are evacuating Austrian territory and falling back upon Italian soil. General Cadorna is, indeed, stated by to-day’s advices to be making a stand at the Tagliamento river, probably at Cemona, which is well over the border, and, for the time being, the offensive has altogether passed out of his hands. The one hopeful feature of an otherwise very unsatisfactory position is that the enemy’s advance has been checked. Put who can say for how long? It the Austro(lerman forces could put Italy out <>i action-—and it may be assumed they will strive hard, and employ all the cunning, ingenuity and deception of which they are such past masters, in the attempt to do so—it will he so much easier lor them to meet the Allied oflon.sivc on the "Western trout, when the Americans fling their men into the lighting line. There are ominous signs of German underground action in the widespread German propaganda in Italy, which, .Mr Ward Price says, accompanies the offensive, and in the reported retirement “in cowardice, without fighting or. surrendering” ol some units forming the Italian Second Army, as described by the Italian official message of the 28th inst. In the latter ease the.retirement ol the troops enabled the Austro-Germans to penetrate the Italian left wing on the .Julian (rout. The Italians are not a cowardly race, ami the Italian armies have achieved a reputation for unexampled bravery in the terrific campaigns they have gone through, lighting under unexampled difficulties and with a courage and heroism of ellort that will fie long remembered. The troops would • not have retired save under orders. Who was responsible, and what part have German gold and “the enemy within the gates” played in the tragedy—for tragedy it is, that witnesses the loss of two and a half years of stupendous lighting, and the sacrifice of Italy s hope of speedily , succouring the men of her own race who are under the heel of the Austrians, it is a grievous business, and the trouble is accentuated by the fact that General Cadorna’s appeals for assistance appear to have only received very inadequate attention at the hands of her Allies. We can only hope that they are now sufficiently alive to the seriousness of the position to see that Italy secures all the help she needs. Pussia is impotent—so much so that the Austro-Germans have found it possible to withdraw whole armies from the Eastern front to fling upon the Italians. If the latter can be forced to accept peace terms the prospect of a Balkan offensive against the Central Powers becomes more remote and the close of die war even more so. America, Britain and France must therefore make it their business to uphold Italy.