THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31,1917. THE GRIM ORDEAL OF ITALY.

Otago Daily Times, Volume 17149, Issue 17149, 31 October 1917, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31,1917. THE GRIM ORDEAL OF ITALY.

One of the most striking features of the military operations in the European theatres of war, other than the western front, is the ebb and flow of the tide of success and the dramatic reversal of fortunes of one or another belligerent. It was only some eight weeks ago that Italy was riding on the crest of an impetuous offensive against the Austrians, who, under its pressure, were enduring terrible losses, and reeling backward in dismay, while the bombardment of Trieste seemed to herald the early fall of that important city and clamorous Austrian appeals went up for German assistance. According to an interview published in the Messagero, General Cadorna stated at the end of August : "As the military critics of the Allied countries have already favourably commented on the Italian plan, I may say, without boasting, that the present manoeuvre, owing, to its vast objectives, and its daring and probable effects on the whole war, is one of the most important in the history of the war." The Italian Commander-in-Chief gave, we are told, in calm mathematical terms, facts and figures proving the immense military and moral superiority of the Italians over their traditional enemies, and asserted that "the imminent and decisive success of ItaJy means the turning-point of the whole war." No doubt General Cadorna was near the mark in his estimate of the importance of his offensive, and we cannot but assume that Germany realised the gravity of the situation in taking into her own hands the task, to which Austria alone was unequal, of depriving Italy of the decisive success that seemed almost within her grasp. While it is now asserted that there lias been considerable exaggeration as to tho increased strength of the forces engaged in tho great Austro-German drive which has beent dramatically launched against ItaH under Marshal von Mackensen's diret/ tion, the rapid development of the offensive movement and the results that have already flowed from it leave in themselves no room whatever for doubt that a great enemy effort is being put forth, which, if it has no advantage in actual superiority of forces, has possibly a very considerable advantage in superiority of artillery.

The object of the present operations against Italy seems fairly obvious. Germany is desperately anxious to convince the Allies that their best policy is to make peace with her. She aims at the disruption of the Entente, and she is probably animated with some hope of following up her success, against Russia by a blow against Italy that will deprive that country of further capacity to take an active part in the war or a part dangerous to Austria. The weakness of Russia has lent every facility for an Austro-German concentration against Italy, and at present the situation is, it must be admitted, somewhat critical. The German claims regarding captures of prisoners and guns may be exaggerated, and probably are, but of the preliminary success of the drive there is no question. The Italians have had to fall back from the Isonzo. Moreover, they have already lost Gorizia, the fate of that town serving only to illustrate the rapidity with which positions captured by them, after months of the most strenuous fighting, have repassed into the hands of the enemy. Gorizia fell to the Italians in August.of last year, Sabotino Hill, the key to the city and the bridgehead, being described by Lord Northeliffe in the account of his ■visit to the Italian front as "the scene of the hardest and bloodiest fighting on this part of the front since the war began." Amazing accounts have been given of the difficulties of the terrain upon which the Italians have so long been fighting, and yet, at the present moment, the heroic achievement of the Carso battles seems to be in danger of becoming all so much lost endeavour. The correspondent of The Times at Italian Headquarters wrote at tho end of August:

Not long ago tho fall of Monte Santo, tho Austrians' best remaining observation post, and the scene of, long and furious fighting, would have been hailed as a great and splendid triumph. Now its capture recedes in perspective in view of the brilliant movement of which this success is only a comparatively unimportant incident. Yet tho fall of Monte Santo may perhaps servo as a symbol and stand as a turning-point. It had resisted countless gallant atlampts to storm its steep sides, and when tho attackers had earned a footing on its summit it hud. vomited forth men and machine guns from its - -uiy caverns and driven the presumrtuou? heroes from tho rains of its convent. Y on Friday morning, it fell as a r'.je pear falls. Tho chanco of manoeuvring given by the successes further north d.d what months of hammering failed to do. Such a passage gives a passing glimpse of what the tide of present reverse threatens to mean for the Italia., armies. It remains to be seen how far the Austro-Germans can carry the success of their initial blow, and there sl.ould be sufficient ground for reasonable confidence that their progress will meet with a decisive check when General Cadoma has established his new positions. In face of the many tributes that have been paid to the morale of the Italian army the official reference to the cowardice of some units of the

Second Army in retiring before the enemy without fighting cornea as a disappointing surprise, but it may be trusted that tho Italians will defend heroically their native soil to save it from Austro-Ger-inan occupation and from tho fate oF other territories trampled under the Teutonic heel. It may well be, as the ltomo correspondents affirm, that Jtaly is now involved in what must bo i>. fight to a finish. In that ca.se it is to be hoped that the assistance which Great Britain and Franco are sending her in the way of troops and guns will be sufficient to remove any doubt as to tho decision turning finally in her favour. In any event, however, it is a vain hope on tho part of Germany to change the course of the war by her latest plans.