Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 256, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1917 — GREATEST OF ALL BATTLES LOOMS [ARTICLE]

GREATEST OF ALL BATTLES LOOMS

GREATEST FIGHT IN ALL HISTORY BEGINNING ALONG PIAVE RIVER. The Italian army of 4,000,000 strong, and constantly being reinforced by British and French soldiers in countless numbers, stands today ready to meet the foe along the Piave river, in what is believed to be destined as the greatest conflict of all history. The battles of the Marne, Verdun and Lens, all fought in the present great world war, recorded as the bloodiest battles since the beginning of time, are expected to be climaxed when the great Hun host, driving across Italy from the west meets the forces of the Allied army. Italy, swept by the German horde, utterly demoralized, her armies put to rout, stands ready to check the Huns and save her country from disaster. The outcome of this battle, which is of world wide significance, will be awaited by the entire world. A victory for the Allies will mean more than the number of Germans killed and the territory gained, for it will have the effect of restoring the confidence of the Italian soldiers and spurring them on to greater efforts, and who knows but that the news of such a victory will bring order out of chaos in demoralized Russia and make them again a factor in the fighting. The moral effect of such a victory in the battle now dawning will be of much greater benefit than the world now realizes. If the shaken confidence of the Italian and Russian armies can be restored, then the outlook for the Allied cause indeed looks bright. Germany has set her heart on intrenching herself throughout all Italy and if she does it the war will no doubt

.re prolonged for several years. In point of mere numbers the advantage lies with the allies, but the Italian army has “suffered "a" rout which has momentarily destroyed its integrity. The immediate problem of the allied strategists seems to maintain an ordered rear guard action, reorganize the scattered units and stop the contagion of panic that seized on parts of the army, and there are doubtless huge other problems known only to the highest command involving resistance to the Germans in the Trentino and at Cabore. Reckoning numbers solely, Italy still has 4,000,000 enlisted men, conceding the German claim of half a million killed, wounded, captured, dispersed and missing, and therefore should meet the invader on better terms. As against the Italian deterioration, Mackensen must suffer the same exhaustion and difficulty from lengthened communication that made Von Kluck’s defeat possible at the Marne It is in guns that the allies seem ready cost them 2,200.

But here again comfort may be drawn from the Marne parallel. In that battle the French were vastly inferior to the Germans in artillery. The German advance to the channel was checked. The French army did it practically with rifle and bayonet against an enemy intrenched in commanding positions and well supplied with artiller.” and machine guns. England and France have put aside all petty and narrow considerations and are giving Italy of their best. Thf French and English are treating the expedition as a great lark. Their spirit is extraordinary. Finer soldiers never wore boots. As has been said of the Anzacs, “They are in the pink of condition and .don’t give a damn for anybody,” . Such spirit will win.