The Outlook 1916-08-23

The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive

Page 1

[we wa | FV SS Se ‘ev The Outlook AUGUST 23, 1916 Offices, 381 Fourth Avenue, New York THE STORY OF THE WAR: AUSTRIA: BESET ON ALL SIDES From Italy and Russia Austria is undergo- ing strenuous and continued attack. Germany has its hands full with its defense against the Anglo-French offensive and its operations before Verdun, now after six months also a defense instead of an attack. Austria has little to hope, therefore, from German aid to extricate her from her difficulties, as happened a year ago, although there is still a possibility of such a drive by Hindenburg near the Baltic as may halt Russia’s sweeping advance. Instead of the unfounded rumors of a year ago that Russia might ask for a separate peace, there are now in some quarters ques- tions whether Bulgaria or Austria may be forced to that surrender. One report from a Russian officer in this country even asserts that Russia now has 13,000,000 men equipped and ready to fight. The occupation of Gorizia by the Italian army, as reported last week, has been fol- lowed by advances of General Cadorna’s forces in two directions—northward against Tolmino to secure and consolidate the Italian position and prevent Austrian attack from the north while the Italian campaign against Trieste is pushed; and south and eastward on the great Corso plateau, which lies for twenty miles between Gorizia to the north and Trieste to the south, with valleys at east and west through which rivers and railways pass. The Italians already had a foothold on this plateau before Gorizia was taken, and in our week (August 9 to 16) made valuable gains. It is not to be assumed, however, that the capture of Trieste is to be an easy task. The descriptions of the capture of Gorizia which come from Rome show that the final attack on the bridge-head after long bombard- ment was furious. One account says: At last the infantry got the command to take the bridge. Then ensued bloody fighting out on the bridge itself, where it was bayonet and clubbed rifle and revolver hand-to-hand fighting of the most desperate sort. Struggling Italians and Austrians clambered about the bridge para- pets, and fully a hundred Austrians were flung into the waters of the Isonzo and drowned. The bridge once taken, however, it was with greater ease that the city was overrun by the Italians. Three great achievements mark Russia’s campaign for the week: the capture of Stanislau (August 10), eighty-seven miles southeast of Lemberg, and an important ** stepping-stone ”’ in Russia’s march on Lem- berg ; the crossing of the Zlota-Lipa River (parallel to the Stripa and Sereth and farther west), which made the German army under General von Bothmer draw back and take a line of defense nearer Lemberg; and an advance in the far south, through the Car- pathian pass of Jablonitza and the town of the same name, into Hungary. It is stated in despatches that the Kaiser insists that Kovel (north of Lemberg) must be held at all costs. There is no question that the Teutonic defense all along the line will be persistent, but already the Russian offensive has played a tremendous part—undoubtedly the leading part—in the concerted Allied offensive. What of the Balkans? On August 11 despatches from Paris declared that the Allied troops in Greece had begun their great drive, aimedat clearing Germans, Austrians, and Bul- gars from Servia. From Salonika a move was made against Dorian, forty miles northwest. This may very probably be the beginning of an attack on the Austro-Bulgarian forces which guard Nish, and may presage the res- toration of Servia. At all events, one more great offensive against the Teuton allies is predicted. There are over 500,000 French, English, and Servian troops on this front, and if the railway line between Nish and Con- stantinople or Sofia and Constantinople is cut, Turkey as well as Austria will be in a bad military situation. A newly published utterance by the irre- pressible Max Harden is worth quotation. It is said in a despatch to the New York 929*