Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-29
.U,S.ExPERTS
| IN ITALY; SEE
DANGER LESS
Believe Teuton Offensive
Has Reached Maximum
Power.

NOiltCs itof. 6V AAC0Sy
artillery lighting is in
progress all along the
front, but no further in-
fantry actions in import
ance are reported by the
war office today. On the
lower Pave river Italian
batteries directed a de-
structive fire at enemy
boats.
italian Headquarters In North
ern Italy. Wednesday, Nov. 2S.-
(By the Associated Press.)-Brig-
adler General Scrfven Of the Unit
ed States army, accompanied BY
an aide and the American MILL
tary attache at Rome, has arrived
Mt headquarters to study the Ital.
ian situation and make series OF
reports to the American govern
ment.
Major G. NJ. P. Murphy, head OF the
American Red Cross In Europe, also
is here to coordinate the work of his
organization. General Scriven was
received by King Victor Emmanuel,
who invited him to dinner, where the
situation was discussed at length.
Reports from the front show that
the enemy is still persistent, but that
little is left of his former vigcr of at
tack. and he is resorting to the old
device of cunning. The Germans have
posted placards in Italian reading:
italians, we have crossed the de-
lenses Of the Piave. Your defense Is
useless. Let US pass without further
bloodshed We shall be In Vienna h
three days"
In reply to this, italian soldiers
posted placard In German reading:
you will never pass"
An eminent American military au-
thority summarized the situation IN
this way:
While the danger Is not yet over.
nevertheless it seems to me from a
military point Of view that the enemy
cannot pass, being confronted by the
combined Italian, British and French
| forces"
His chief military reason for this
view is that the enemy no longer has
/ his lines of communication freely
open to the rear, as the winter is
breaking his communications In the
north and interrupting, If not destroy
ing, them to the east. Therefore, he
believes, the enemy has reached the
maximum and must decline from now
on. while the Italians and their allies
have all their communications from
4, the west and south open and can aug
ment their forces from now on. Con
sequentiy. 1t appears to this man that
the enemy has failed In his main pro-
ject of breaking through into the
heart of Italy.
The foregoing, in addition to giving
the military viewpoint, probably &C
cords with other high opinion.
Change In Uniform.
The uniform of the American army
is undergoing further change. |
is small one, made necessary b.
conditions. A large number of troop.
have turned in their long overcoati
to receive in exchange coats of tn,
same material but much shorter II
length. The new ones strike the me,
above the knees, while the old ones
issued in the United States, usuali-
hit them at the ankles. Because O
the perpetual mud 1t was found tina
the long coats soon became cake,
and heavy. They topped about tn
legs Of the soldiers. hfndering the fire.
movement of the wearers.
Many of the troops who have no
received the new coats have shortenel
the old ones.
HiDdenburg in Charge.
Washington, Nov. 29.--The Austro
German invaders in Italy, official dis
patches received here today from
Rome say, are compelling the civi
population of the captured region
!, without respect to age or sex, to worl
on Notifications Of the Tagliamente
, the left bank Of the Piave and tn
Galore zones.
Il 4 German officer taken prisoner
the dispatches say. confirms that Hin
denburg had personal charge of tn
drive into Italy.
Il According to his plan," say tn
dispatches, General Conrad's arm
! was to roll down like an ayaianch
. on the Settle Comuni plateau. Will
: the armies of Krohatin and Won Bue
low were to push into the Brenta val
ley. surmount the mountainous bar
, rier and descend into the fertile Ven
etian plains. The commencement G
the colossal offensive was set for tn
14th Of November with the arrival G
r Austro-German troops at Castelgoa
berto, but the Italian resistance be
fore Meletta and Gallo upset sh