Omaha daily bee., 1917-10-26
TAKE HIGH OFFICERS.

TAKE HIGH OFFICERS.
The prisoners include divisional
and brigade stats.
The total prisoners taken exceed
10000.
The fighting on this front is con-
tinuing.
ITALIANS MEET ASSAULT.
Paris, Oct. 25.-General Cadorna's
skill and strategy. which made pos
sible the capture of the heights on the
eastern bank of the Isonzo, Is being
put to the test by strong Austro-
German offensive on the front from
Flitsh to the Bainsiza plateau,
northeast of Gorilla. Vienna claims
the capture Of 5000 prisoners as the
result of the first blow.
Austrians Alone Were Defeated.
Austria's army could do little
against the Italians, who were press
ing forward steadily and breaking the
morale of the Austrian army. The
Chiapavano valley already had been
entered and soon the Austrian forces
would have been cut in two. Trieste
was threatened seriously and Pola, the
great Austrian port, was in danger.
The Italian efforts were having their
effect.
Germany, which upto this time has
sent little of men or munitions to this
front, has come to the help of the
losing Austrians and it is German SOL
diers and German munitions and guns
that are laundering against Cadorna's
defcnses along the Isonzo.
Cadorna is Prepared.
The Italians, General Cadorna re-
ports, are steady and prepared"
After heavy bombardment the
Austro-German infantry was thrown
forward against the Italian positions
near Flitsch, near Tolmino and on
the northern part of the Bainsizza pla-
tcau, front of Is miles. The AUS
tro-Germans, by their own report,
gained only the foremost Italian de-
fcnses at these points.
Generally the Italians have. some
advantage in terrain, but the Austrians
and Germans hold many high moun-
tain positions near the Italian lines.
The Italians also are fighting with
their backs to the lsonzo river.
Where the Germans obtained large
numbers @; reinforcement1 for the
Austrians i'll this region has not yet
become apparent, but it is not i'm
probable that some of them were sent
post haste from the northern Russian
front, where between the Vina river
and the Gulf of Riga there has been
a Withdrawal. by the Germans over a
wide front.
Civilians Leave Kronstadt.
PArograd, Oct. 25.-The evacua-
tion by the civil population of the
naval base of Kronstadt has begun.
, The removal of civilians from Kron-
stadt, the most important Russian
naval base, probably is a military
measure. The, civilian population is
moving from Petrograd, from which
the government also will go to Mos
COW. The evacuation Of Reval, another
important port on the Gulf of Fin
land, was reported last week.
Y Twenty Teuton Divisions.
Washington, Oct. 25.-The great
Austro-German drive against the
Italians front, now in full swing, was
fully expected by General Cadorna,
who has prepared to meet it for sew
erat"weeks past. Official cablegrams
received today declare that in addi-
ton to the heavy reinforcements
which the Austrians have received
from troops withdrawn from the Rus
sian front, many German divisions
have appeared on the long line from
Tolmino to the Cafso, SO that there
are now 20 full divisions with great
amount of artillery on this front.
Italian headquarters recognize III
this great enemy force a confirmation
of the reports that have been leaking
out from Germany and Austria of the
conclusion reached by the German
general staff that the real issue Of the
war is to be fought out on the Isonzo
and Tyrol fronts.
This offensive also was necessary,
according to information received by
Italian officials. to encourage the suf-
fering and starving population in the
interior of Austria, which is thor
oughly tired of the war and dispirited
by the long defensive campaign of
the Austrians
Today's REPORTS state that in this
drive German troops for the first
time have appeared on the Italian
front and German airplane, part of
much German war material gathered
on the Bainsizza plateau, was brought
down yesterday within the Italian
lines.