Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-17
ARMIES FACE EACH OTHER
ACROSS THE NARROW pave
Correspondent Among First -Four
Civilians Authorized to Make
Trip to Battle Front.
FATE OF ITALY IN BALANCE
On Holding or Breaking OF This Line
May Depend Worry Serious Results
for Entire Entente-People Flee
ing From Nearby Villages.
tBy Associated Press.I

tBy Associated Press.l
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTHERN ITALY. Wednesday, No
vember 1.-THE Italian general staff
gave tho first opportunity to-day to
see tho Piave baltic front. and the cor.
respondent was among the first four
civilians authorized to take the trip,
il came at an opportune when
the enemy had succeeded In getting
small parties across the river ut two
points. ana when tho holding or break
ms OF the Piavc line promised to
bring the Whole issue into the balance
for Italy. and to some extent for the
entire entente.
Some ton miles back from the river,
the correspondent passed through
solid miles OF troops coming and going
10 tho front. Those goins to the rear
were undiscovered and tired, but not
disheartcned Those going forward
appeared resolute. and some were sing
Ing. Refugees afoot and I'm OK carts
rowdcd the fields and roads, seeking
safety from this sudden onrush Of the
enemy. The party passed Riete. "A lit
Ito hamlet where Pope Piux Y was
born. and Il small cross roads church
marked the place where he used TO be
q curate before his elevation 10 the
papacy
An al. raid took place as the party
passed near the church. Five shots
were fired. but the raIde got away.
Knots OF soldiers filled the streets and
villages Rs they stood gazing at the
black pail of smoke in the east. a
he outskirts Of the village there were
lonR lines of Chevaua de Frise ready
o obstruct infantry rushes. Along the
road toward the front. military tele-
graph lines were strung OH the tops
II bushes as there had been no time
10 erect poles.
COMMANDING VIEW
OF WHOLE PANORAMA
The hrst stop was made at Asolo, ten
niles back Of the river. where an an
cient castle located on a high hill,
gave a commanding view OF the whole
panorama Of the battle front. From
this eminence spread out a peaceful
plain to the west. and the battle line
to the east.
The Piarc lay straight aheud. Across
the river nve small villages. now held
by the enemy. could be seen. These
were on the plain bordering the east
bank for a half mile back where the
foothills rose TO high hills on which
the German and Austrian batteries
were located. The cannonade had now
become heavy. and bursts OF smoke
marked the line Of the encmy's bat
terics.
The route now turned along The west
bank OF the river where long lines OF
p~a' full villages had been transformed
Suddenly by terror OF tho enemy bonn
bardment. The t~ownspeoplc were has
THY gathering their belongings to-
gcther. and women and children seemed
terrified as they hurried away from
the sound OF the guns. The party
passed groups OF 'tarditi' which! indi-
Gated that the lighting Rround was get
ting very near. 'Arditi' is the Italian
word for ardent. and they arc men who
volunteer 10 risk everything and 70
push to the extreme front. Houses all
along the road had been transformed
into temporary field hospitals. and
marked with !mprovised signs. There
were ambuiances along the road. but
no sign OF wounded. AT one village a
regiment OF Alpin' were waiting TO 60
forward. Batteries and field guns were
also moving down to the river. The
whole western bank OF the Piave Is
lined with beautiful villas and extern
sive parks filled with statuary.
IN VILLAGE THREE MILES
FROM THE PAVE LIN
The party had now reached q village
three miles from the Piave line. and
the Smelling WAS continuous. AS the
army automobile came up tho road 10
the railway station a shell burs,
snuarely in tho road 100 yards ahead
They arc Smelling the road" said
the escort as he wheeled the automo-
bile behind the station where groups
of soldiers were crouching in The
doorways. Ono OF the fragments OF
this shell anne whizzing towards tho
station and buried itself in the wall.
A soldier led the way through q
thlcket up the side Of a hill where ar
italian observation post had been es.
tablished. and from this point OF van
tage the correspondent looked out on
the long lines on both banlss Of the
river. The town of Vidor. now held by
General Won Bellows German troops
was just across the river. and a big
German ausag balloon al insolently
hanging owe h town observing the
work OF Italian batteries. The ad-
vantage the Germans had at this point
was evident. as the hills rose back
Of tho town, giving them a screen
for thsir batteries. These played
down on tho Italians on the plain or
the eastern side of the river.
Again the route turned southwark
along the river. At one point tho party
passed one OF those heroic regiments
Of cavalry which acted as a rear guard
while the main Italian army retired
60 the western bank OF tho Piave
Iearing the river, the roads were full
of frightened people hurrying away
with their pitiful families on the tor
of household goods carried on carts
and wagons.
SILENT TOWN OF NERvEsA
HAS SEPULCHRAL ASPECT
The actual river bank was now near
and the escort ave IL special warning
of rife and machine gun fire In add.
ton TO shrapnel from the batteries
The town OF Ncrvesa, on the rivers
edge. was deserted completely as thu
party passed down to the wharves. and
the silent town had a S%epulchral as.