NEWS OF THE WEEK N EARLY four weeks have elapsed since
the Italians launched their sudden attack on Greece from Albania, and they are now everywhere on the defensive or retreating, and threatened with severe reverses. Not even in the theatre nearest home, in Epirus, are they still on Greek soil, for even here, where the ground favours their superior armament, they have been falling back north of the Kalamas river. In the centre, too, where the - crack Alpine division, pushing on too impetuously, suffered early disaster, the Greeks have entered Albania, threatening the lateral road which links up the Italian left with the centre and right. The capture of the town of Erseka, situated on this road, effectually denies the use of this important line of com- munications to the Italians, and cuts off the base town of Koritza, in the north, from all direct communication with the rest of the Italian front. On that town the Greeks, making the utmost use of their skill in mountain warfare, have been slowly but surely closing in ; the last of the heights dominating the town appears to be now in Greek hands. Koritza is a great supply-base, and it will be a triumph of no small order if the Greeks can capture it before its material can be removed. The Greeks have been drawing their lines closer and closer round the bombarded town, but here as elsewhere they are handicapped by the lack of adequate air force. The British have been rendering service, without which these, successes could not have been obtained, by smash- ing the Italian supply-ports on the Italian and the Albanian coasts, and bombing lines of communication. But more and more of this kind of service is needed; and in addition the Greeks are abundantly. justified in appealing for more aero- planes for their own use in conjunction with their army. The United States will certainly respond, but help from them must take time. Our own support of Greece is growing greater every day, and must. The defeat of Italy can begin in Greece just as effectually as in Libya. She must be struck repeatedly before she can recover, or be saved by Germany.
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