Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 243, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1917 — ITALIANS LOSE 100,000 MEN [ARTICLE]

ITALIANS LOSE 100,000 MEN

BY CAPTURE—ITALIAN DEFENSE CRUMBLES BEFORE TEUTON DRIVE. The Austro-German armies, under the command of Emperor Charles, who has as his chief assistant Field Marshall von Kackensen, are shaking the entire Italian line from the Julian Alps region to the Adriatic sea. Pressing back the Italians at several points on Italian soil, the combined enemy forces now have pushed forward on the Italian left wing and captured Cividale, lying to the northwest of Undine, and are nearing the plains beyond. In addition, the Austrian town of Gorizia, a point of great strategic value on the Isonzo river, has been retaken from the Italians. According to the latest communication, 100,000 have been made prisoners and in* excess Of 700 guns have fallen into Austro-German hands. The second and third Italian armies are declared to be in retreat. Rome admits the falling back of the second army, asserting that cowardice similar to that shown by the Russians in Galicia, was exhibited in the face of the foe, the Italians surrendering are retreating without giving battle, permitting the breaking of the left wing and thereby offering easy access to the town of Cividale. The news of the defeat of the Italians is the most depressing since the outbreak of the war. It is tragedy that involves the welfare of the world. The Hun hordes have routed Italian armies and are pouring onto the plains of northern Italy. Germany is making good her threat to punish Italy for her treachery, as the Kaiser termed it, and the entire Italian frontier from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic is threatened. What has become of the vaurited strength of the Italian army? It was said she could not employ all of ler troops on the Alps and yet the central powers find no difficulty in employing a vastly superior number of troops on the same field, under similar conditions. If perchance Italy is rendered as impotent as Russia, what is to be the fate of the Allied cause? The United States and Japan have vast resources of men and supplies but the matter of transportation appears almost insurmountable. The people of the United States have more to think about today than they have had at any time since our advent into the arena. It is an hour of fortitude and redoubled effort.