Show C What the Weeks Week's j W War Moves Mean i. i ar Ov Overwhelming of Montenegro by T Is Double Double Dou- Dou V ble Blow to Allies Expert Says By J. J w. w T. T MASONN MASON N NV NEW V YORK Jan 17 The The thir small country to fall faU before the Teutonic onslaught sur surrendered sur- sur reude rendered d its capital last week to the Austro Th capture of and the overwhelming o of ot Montenegro Is la of ot far more Importance than the square mLles miles of Montenegrin territory with Us Its population suggests The blow blows blowIs Is t s a II double one to the allies for it se seriously se- se affects both Russian and Italian Ital Ital- ian fan prestige Montenegrins l belong to the same race as the tho Serbs and Russian In n Influences Influences In- In have long aspired to the union of Serbia and Montenegro which would give the Slavs Slave large Influence on the thel Adriatic l ri 1 tic Now that Montenegro passes under Austrian control the Slav Adriatic ambitions will not be realized At the same time Italy's desire to substitute h her r own influence for Slavonic Sla Sla- vonie on on the eastern Adriatic shore is seriously hampered The new situation situa situa- tion is e especially dangerous for Italy because Austria's naval base at Cattaro Catta- Catta ro along the mid-Adriatic mid shore has been bren made wholly secure by the capitulation capitulation capitulation capit capit- of neighboring Montenegrin territory Hungary Austro-Hungary can now send a force lorce overland from Cat Cattaro taro through Montenegro into northern Albania am and prevent the Adriatic from becoming an Italian lake An Italian army of perhaps per per- haps men with guns might have save saved and the Adriatic coast of ot Montenegro from falling into Aust Austrian ian hands The short sightedness ot of the Roman government In refusing aid to the Montenegrins has proven to tob tobe tobe b be one of the most serious Italian blunders blunders blun blun- ders dera of pf the war Th The German Geiman government last week was compelled to reduce the dally daily allowance of bread per person from f eight t to en seven ounces The new ra ration ration ra- ra tion Uon Is a return to Va the measure In Introduced Introduced in- in last winter The mapy many complaints com corn plaints ints made at that time resulted Inan in inan inan an extra ounce being added to the loaves last August The short supply of grain however will no longer permIt permit permit per per- mit a continuation of the extra weight Food riots have lately been reported from various arious German centers and the government has forbidden meetings called to discuss the high cost of liv liv- ing The reduction of the bread brend ration ration ration ra ra- ra- ra tion at this time will undoubtedly cause uneasiness among the people concerning the value of the victories in inthe inthe in the field Evacuation of the entire peninsula by the French Anglo-French forces brought to an end last week the most I useless large destruction of life in any area of ot the war The Dardanelles ex expedition ext ex- ex t failed primarily because of the refu refusal al of ot the British war office to take into consideration the large superiority superiority superiority su su- su- su I of or men needed by an offensive often often- dye sive army operating under modern conditions conditions conditions con con- of trench and amI mountain warfare war war- fare The blame should not rest on the shoulders of ot generals In the field but on the strategists in ir London The failure of the Turks to Inflict any damage on the allies aUles during the retirement is a a. serious count against the offensive ability of the sultans sultan's forces High credit for the difficult work of directing directing- the evacuation must I be awarded to General Sir Charles Monro the rising star among the newer British commanders PADUA Italy Jan 17 Via Via Rome Signor Signer Barzilai cabinet minister without portfolio in an address here yesterday speaking apparently for the I government declared that it was useless useless use use- less to attribute to Italy responsibility for tor the taking of and the Montenegro Montenegro Montenegro Mon Mon- dl disaster aster As In the case of loss of ot Serbia he said the blame was collective and the tho result of the allies' allies Ineffective program Our enemies the minister said find salvation In silent servile lence Imposed by one man We Ve should have hive foreseen this work because of the uncertainties inherent in a a league of free peoples There Is 19 no ground for the charge that Italy is responsible for the errors of last June To prepare for the protection protection protection pro pro- of a country countr without frontiers before hostilities were pressing was the common task In the future this order of argument will not be profitable and the governments making use of It to excuse failures will not merit nor receive re- re pardon from their peoples |