Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-13
FONzASO CAPTURED .
BY GERMAN FORCES
Mont Longara Also Taken
From italian Troops, Ber-
lin Announces. s. &.
DRIVES MOMENTUM HALTS.

With the Italian army in position
along the Piave from Feltre to the Adfi-
attic and from the Piave west to the Sette
Communi, the Austro- German drive
through northern Italy has lost much Of
its momentum. However, in attacks
against Italian positions northeast of
Asiago Berlin today claims the capture
of Fonzaso and Mont Longara
North of Feltre the Austro-Germans
have captured $4,000 Italians who ap-s
parently were cut off in their attempt
to reach the new defense positions.
The Italians, aided by the French and :
British are prepared to give battle to
the invaders and heavy fighting is not
e
Berlin Claims Capture.
By the Associated Press
BERLIN. November 13.-Fonzaso and
Mont Longara have been captured by
the Austro-German troops invading
northern Italy, says the official state- =
ment issued today by the German war
office.
The text of the statement reads:
Italian front: In the Setti communi
we wrested Mont Longara from the
Italians
Troops advancing in the mountains
between the Sugana and the Cismou
valleys took by storm the Leone work
on the Col di Campo"
Thousands Seized, Is Claim. =.
The report from general headquarters
last night reads: s.
I'm Cordevole valley west of Pellunoc
1000 Italian prisoners were taken.
The energetic collaboration of wurt.
temberg and Austro-Hungarian noun. !
tain troops near Longarone barred the
upper Paive valley. Ten thousand Ital.
ians were compelled to surrender and
numerous guns, material and war
stores were captured.
our troops. who pressed forward
from Belluno down the Piave. are be-
fore Feltre. On the lower Piave there
was nothing new to report"
. Feitre is town of about 1900 in.GS
habltants on the height near the Piave.
seventeen, miles southwest of Belluno
and about ten miles north of the Vene,
tian plains. The military operations
reported by the Germans in the noun.
rect bearing on the italian line on the
lower Pfave.
Foes Offensive Checked. T.
By the Associated Press.
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS m
NORTHERN ITALY, Monday. Novem-
ber IA heavy and continuous bonn
bardment is proceeding along the loW1
er Piave river. marking the opening
stages of extensive operations on thia
new line. Whether general engage
ment is imminent depends largely upon
the enemy. as the Italians are now in
trenched behind the river and fighting
defensive tactics. with the stream and
their re-esta blished forces checking
the further extension of the Austro-
i've
The engagements thus far have cone
sisted of episodes at detached points,
although the shelling extends almost
uninterruptedly for forty miles along
enemy heavy guns is now heard. show
ing that the Austrians and Germans
have been able to bring up a few OK
these monster pieces.
One Unified Front.
fact that the Piave is the line of de-
fense to which the supreme command
has been bending it's energies steadily
for the past ten days. The upper end
making virtually one unified front
sweeping in a huge arc from Lake
Garda to the mouth of the Piave, near
Venice.
Venice continue. lest the enemy. whose
Iong-range guns are not far off. should
attempt to lombard the famous art
center. The Palace of the Doges has
delicate arched facade has been shored
with heavy timbers. The Campanille
has sandbags for forty feet around the
base The Grand canal is filed with
tion purposes.
Favorable to Italians.
Ry the Associated Press
ITALIAN H f ADQUA ARTE R S IN
ITALY. November 13-
The Italians are holding the Austro-
German advance or the Piaye line. Re-
ports from the front are favorable.
Heavy shelling is in progress all along
the new front.
The Italians are intrenched back OF
the west bank Of the Piave river, and
the Austro-German force now is taking
the place of the advanced guard on the
east bank. The strip of water between
the opposing lines Is about half a mile,
at some points to mile.
An observer just back from a. tour
along the line told the correspondent
that the cannonade had become con-
tinuous. The Austrians are using five
inch guns. not yet having brought up
enemy Is turning his fire against the
high campanfle bell towers of small
fringing the western bank to
prevent the Italian artillery from using
reply is spirited from a COM
siderable number of guns that they sue
ceeded in bringing back from the old
front.
The battle front has two main sec
tors The lower extends from Feltre
to the sea and the upper from Feltre
westward. The Vidar bridge. where the
last Italian rearguards crossed the
Piave, is half way down the lower sec
tor Near Feltre the river turns into
the mountains. with a valley and a rail.
way on the west bank.
The enemy is on the west bank in this
mountain region and may attempt to
come down the valley and along the
railway The Italians have no advan-
tage Of a river defense at this point,
but they have strongly entrenched
themselves.
The fight at AsIago was clearly q
,eeler to test the strength of the 1ta1.
an line Snow is falling in the upper
regions and a severe cold spell prevails
Cities Are Destroyed.
Information from the territory ocS
.nnied by the Austro Germans is to the
,ffact that Cividale, Gradisca and Pal. :
nunoya have been virtually destroyed e
Nv bom bardment and fire. When the
ustrians occupied Gorizia they ordered
he whole town illuminated as sign
Il rejoicing. which had to be done on
,ain of death. The black and yellow
iar again waves in the place of Italy'S
ricoior over the Castle of Gorizia.
Monfalcone, also In the hands of the
Austrians, is again in full swing OF
,ctivity. At the navy yard there the
Austrians have taken possession of an
warship. which had been