Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-23
Italian Forces Are Swept
Back by Gigantic Wave
of Enemy Troops.
ADD MORE PRISONERS
Booty Taken by Austrians in
New Offensive Is Enor-
nous in Quantity.

Berlin. May %. (by wireless to
Sayville.) 1.-THE Austrians are sue
cessfully continuing their Offens-
i've against the Italians in the
southern Tyrol, according to the
war Office announcement today.
They have advanced on both sides
of the Sugana valley, driving the
Italians before them.
London. May 23-Austrian in
fantry. launched in waves. under
cover of a veritable rain of lead
and steel, continue to drive the
Italians in the Tyr0l sector back
to their last defenses.
The Italian border has been
crossed in various places and the
entire position of the defenders
Of LavarGne plateau is now in
Austrian hands.
The number of Italian prisoners
has been increased to 23-SS3, &C.
cOrding to the official statement
issued by the Austrian war Office.
Berlin. May %, (by wireless to Say
ville).-The following account of re
cent operations on the Austro- Italian
front was given out today by the Over
seas News agency:
in the southern TyroE before ths
present offensive movement was insti
tuted, the Austro-Hungarian front raj
from the northern end of Lake Gards
to Mort, southwest of Rovereto, along
the Terragnola valley to the southeaS
edge of Folgaria plateau, to the cas-
edg Layarona plateau, through the
Sugana valley to the west of Borgo
across Mount Colo and thence to thu
northeast. On May IA the Austro-Hun
garian artillery became active at man.
places along this front.
Early on the morning of May l;
AuStro Hungarian troops were able II
advance at several places in the sectO
from a point below Rovereto to tn
eastern edge of Folgaria plateau, OIL
account of the excellent results OBJ
tanned by the artillery. The first 1tal
ian positions were taken with yer.
small loss for the attacking troops ant
500 Italians. belonging to one of tn
new regiments formed during the win
ter, were captured.
Italians Resist Tremendously.
"In the Terragnola valley the enem.
resisted tenaciously at several place
but by evening his resistance wa.
broken. At many places the Italian
were driven far beyond their first lin
positions. In this days fighting Their
we're captured IS officers, more thai
$500 soldiers, three cannon and TIVE
machine guns.
On May Is the attack was renewes
along the whole line. The Austrian
captured position on the eastern en'
of Folgaria plateau which, according
to an Italian order, a copy of whicl
was found, was designated as one 0
the chief points of resistance, to b
defended to the utmost In the Terra
gonola valley points of support whicl
until that time had been defended stub
bornly were captured.
Troops Cross Border.
'Austro-Hungarian forces there ad
vanced everywhere on May II. The
captured territory to a depth of seve
kilometres more than four miles,.
AT some points the victorious troop
crossed the Italian frontier and a
other points they advanced close t
the border.
in order to appreciate the signif
canoe of these successes it must be re
membered that the fighting is going o.
in the mountains on ground varying il
altitude as much as 1000 metres pc
kilometre. The mountains are still
partly covered with snow and tn
transportation of supplies is exceed
ingly difficult