ITALY'S LEADERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 November 1917, Page 2

ITALY'S LEADERS.

WHO THE NEW MEN AEE,

LONDON, November 12,

Eeuter 'a correspondent at Eome says that the new Commander-in-chief, General Diaz, is 56 years of age. He is <aid to combine the brilliant intellect >f tlie south with the stolidity of the

north. He was a colonel in Libya, and commanded an army corps on the . Carso. 1 Under General Diaz are Generals Badolglio and Giordino, who have been appointed to assist him. The Giornale D'ltalia/ commenting on this, states that the supreme command is no longer confided to one man. but is shared by three. General Badoglio is 47 years old. He participated in the campaigns in Africa in 1895-7, and in Libya, and commanded an army corps at Bainsizza. General Giordino is 53 years old. He was sometime Minister for War, and has been decorated for valour. He served mostly in. the Bersaglieri. i The Minister for War, in a letter to j General Diaz, states that he has al--1 ways recognised his civil and military qualities as being of the highest. His army corps has alweys been brilliantl led, both in good and ill fortune. "I send greetings in the name, of Italy, which waits and hopes." Beuter's correspondent at Italian headquarters graphically describes the terrible plight of the fugitives owing to the evacuation of the Tagliamento. The arrival of refugees from Gemona caused a fresh flight from Pordenone to Trcvisco. Babies were suffocated in the crush, and mothers suddenly became dementedAeroplanes attacked the trains which took refuge in tunnels, causing dense smoke clouds to swamp the packed open cars. Children collapsed, and the frenzied mothers were unable to resuscitate them.

A Eome message says that Senor Giovanni Giolitti, several times Premier of Italy, -who was strongly opposed to Italy's intervention in the war on the side of the Allies, has returned to the city after two years and a half voluntary exile in a native village. He is the problem of the hour. His political opponents do not believe that he is capable of rising to the situation. Great political nervousness is prevailing. The anti-Allied propaganda continues and it is unconsciously being aided by the critics, who accused Britain and France of the tardy realisaton of the principle of the single front. They do not realise that there was every reason to believe that the Italian front was safe against any possible enemy attack. Only defections among the troops due to causes that have not been fully

revealed could have precipitated the present situation. Undoubtedly the Allies should have more closely considered the possibilities of an Allied offensive on the Italian front. The Allies must also be held responsible for the failure to provide sufficiently against the enemy's political offensive, but any suggestion that we failed to exercise reasonable foresight plays the enemy's game.