Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-11-19
Belief Now Is That if Invaders
Do Not Make Breach Soon
Defenders Will Be Able to
Resume the Offensive.
NORTHERN SECTORS ARE
RESISTING PRESSURE
TeutonS Have Driven Hard to
Prevent King ViCtor'S Troops
From Reorganizlng and. Re-
gaining Morale.

tsN MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LtaaEp vts.l
italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, Nov IS (by the Associated
Press, s,)--On the northern line and
along the Piave river above Zenson
the fighting has assumed extreme
severity. The enemy has thrown fresh
divisions into the battle In a supreme
effort to break through The Ital-
lans are resisting with desperate ten
acity. using hand grenades to meet
the infantry rusnes following artillery
ana machine gun fire. 1t is one of
the bitterest struggles of the war and
the losses are heavy.
ON the Piave river the enemy GOT
across at two points, Folllna and
Fagare, a few miles above Zenson.
but those at Follina were annihilated
by artillery and hand-to-hand fight
ing while those at Fagare were driven
back to the western bank with heavy
losses and many captured.
Situation IL Grave.
The italian lines are holding in the
! main, but the fury Of the enemy as
| saults renews the gravity of the sit
uation.
The Italian navy is doing splendid
service. seconding the army I'm the
bombardment of enemy positions to-
ward the mouth of the Piave river.
Near Revedoli an Italian marine
battalion repulsed on Saturday rush
made by an Austrian stormlng party
and Italian torpedo boats off Porto
di Cortellozzo drove off an attack of
an Austrian torpedo fleet. This lat
ter action was accompanied by opsr-
ations of fleet of italian hydroplanes
a hNF tal Int
teries.
Held to Water Line.
On the middle Piave river where
/ the Austrians succeeded in gaining
foothold on the west bank near Zen
son they are held to the waters edge
and their only communication with
the east bank is at night when flat
boat is dragged from side to side
bringing small stock of supplies.
Further north where the front turns
westward from the Piave river, across
the Asiago plateau, General Ritter
Won Krobatin. former Austrian min.
| lister of war, is driving his Austrian
forces, together with one Hungarian
division, in an attack which may be
the turning point OF the whole oper-
alton.
Full Weight of Attack.
It is here that the Piave front and
the Trentino front meet and General
Won Krobatin is throwing all his
pressure on this point so as to force
a wedge between the two Italian
armies. What his success would
mean is fully realized, for should this
wedge come through ii would not only
separate the two Italian armies, but
would require the consideration of
retreat from the Piave river as it
would not be possible to maintain a
position on the Piave with the left
flank thus menaCed.
General Armando DiaZ, command
er-in-chief of the Italian army was
able last night to announce the solid
ity of both main fronts and to give
merited tribute to his men. The
fighting, while desperate. has not yet
developed the enemy's full power and
ii is still to be shown where he will
strike his greatest blow. But his first
shock has been met and checked and
the Italian arms have gained new
lustre.
Italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, Saturday, Nov. II (by Asso-
ciated Press) The battle of the
piave river as 1t will be known. now
has developed to stage where the
enemy's first attempts to make a
breach in the italian lines have fail
cd This defensive result has not only
been accomplished by the Italian
army, but time has been secured to
tfece that recovery fro mthe retreat
which will perm,t the army to re-
sumo its offensive power as well as its
defensive.
The enemy was taking full advan-
tage of the delicate period after the
retreat, knowing that every day count
ed for the restoration of the solidity
of the Italian offensive force. In this
knowledge, too, the Italian supreme
command is proceeding methodically.
giving ground here and holding else
where, as all this is part Of systema-
tic plan to bring to the army offen-
sve qualities to deal blow at
chosen moment.
Tide to Turn Soon.
One hears tonight talk in high quar-
ters that if the Piave line holds an
other few days, the tide will be
turned, az its successful defense
through six fearful days has estab-
lished that the enemy has his limita-
tions.
Thus far nothing beyond battalions
have crossed the river and no corps
or brgades, much less divisions, has
passed the dead line. Only at Zenson
and Grisolera are there any serious