History repeated

Great Russian Recovery

Enemy Hard Pressed

Italy and the War: The King may decide

Demonstrations in favour of Italy’s participation in the war continue on a scale which can leave no doubt in the minds of onlookers as to the current of national feeling and if Giolitti is powerful enough to wreck these aspirations a new Garibaldi may arise to lead the country in the direction in which it desires to go.

A great responsibility apparently now rests upon the King but he may choose the line of least resistance without departing from the higher national ideal. On that fact the hopes of the allies may be based.

Italy stands at the parting of ways and a full appreciation of the difficulties of her position should make us hesitate in the expression of decided opinions.

Moreover, they are closer to the Eastern front than we are, and it is impossible for us to know what aspect of the operations in thy zone presents itself to our hoped for new ally.

It is true a campaign of lying has been indulged in at Berlin by it is also true that Austro- German concentration and effort were well timed and that the ‘lighting stroke’ against the Russians had a highly spectacular setting.

It may be well for us that Italy’s decision has been delayed for evidence is now accumulating hay the Russians have effected their usual recovery and that the time has come for counter-stroke.

It may have been noted too that the present Russian retirement was not the costly affair other ‘strategic movements to the rear’ proved to be and there is also the fact that in official circles there has been nothing in the shape of perturbation at the recent course of events.

In Western Galicia the German advance is already showing up while in Eastern Galicia the offensive is with our Ally who is achieving considerable success.

From the western front we at had a full of news of late and the temporary lull is welcome.

It must not, however, be taken that the French advance has come to an end or that all that was aimed at for the present has been achieved.

Preparations are afoot for a continued aggressive and the moral as well as the material effects of the work already accomplished should help to ensure success when the move forward is resumed.

With regards to the British front, information is scanty but we have played a part which has helped to make possible the fine achievements of Allies and the story of the past few days (when we get it) will make reading of which we shall have no cause to be afraid or ashamed.

There is evidence that the German headquarters staff have had a rude awakening as to the quality of the new forced we had sent to the front.

They were aware, although of course the German press did not say so, that we were not sending our raw materials but they have been surprised to find that no trained troops in the field are superior to our new formations and there is manifest a very real fear that we are now launching against them what will prove to be the deciding factor in the war.