The Generals of the Auistrian and Italian armies are exhibiting
on one point the habitualimbecility-of JAI Generals. They affect to think publicity dangerous because they dread criticises, pro- hibit newspaper correspondence, seize telegrams, open letters, and bury their heads in the sand as deep as they can. Consequently the different divisions of the army know nothing of each others' proceedings, wild reports get among the Italians, the Austrian soldiery believe their own Generals are selling them, the smallest disaster is magnified into a rout, and the public, instead of helping, is stupefied or hostile. Of course it is needful that plans should be occasionally concealed, but to suppress facts after they have occurred is only to exaggerate misfortune and diminish the im- pression of victory. Italy in particular should /rage war es a revolutionary power, adhere strictly to truth, and let everybody tell it who can. Dr. Russell's description of Bull Run brought a hundred thousand men into the ranks resolved to 'redeem the Northern fame. One expects officers out of England to hate the press, but their masters are supposed to be statesmen.
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