The Washington herald., 1917-11-15
NEW ADVANCE THREATENING.
Hnss swees o..

The Austro-German army ths
swept down from the Sugana VsIie
has taken the town OF Primolan.
n gateway to the open space b
tween the mountains of Northcr
Nenetia Unless the Teutons here az
promptly checked. they will by
dash southwark TO Csrpono. Basssr
and Citadella-on the Italian Iii
their chief strateg
aim. which Is TO encircle the cnti
Italian army on the PiaVc. al u
same time out1sniing the Italia
Trentino forces.
The climax in the Venetian bait
is manifestly at hand. The Italian
are fighting everywhere with hero
siubbornness. At many points, pa
ticularly on the mountain front. ths
have counter-attacked and drive
back the, invaders. But the lars
strategic program OF the Teutou
military experts here admitted I.
night. has been brought a furth,
step toward its realization by a
Developments OF the last twenty-foy
hours.
There is a well-grounded belief
military circles that Gen. DiEz, O.
dorna's successor. realizing the eve
growing menace from the rear. q
ready has begun moving his ma
forces westward toward the AdiE
leaving only strong rear guards {
impede the Teuton advance acroi
the Piave. The abandonment OF /
OF Nenetia, with Venice, sppears
inevitable tonight
Await Reinforcement.
The Franco-British rsintorcemen
that have been rushed to Italy's Su
cor have not yet Joined the Itahs
forces. II will be several days b..
fore they can do so. This was stat,
tonight by Mai. Gen. F. B. Mauric
chief director OF military operation
at the British war Office.
The Teutons are now across Il
Pisve at both tanks. On the low.
river they pontooned the river
zenson, the point nearest TO VenE,
tsOme nineteen miles to the nortI
east Of that city,. Thence they a.
Nanced through the marShy cos >
lands TO Porto ,di Piave Vecchia. TT
Italians. according to the Rome bu-
letin, drove them back. but ha,
mot yet succeeded in disiodging n
enemy completely"
In the North the Teutons are on n
rivers west bank at Fcltro, where n
Piave turns sharply to the East ts
ward Bellune. The town IS in Gel
man hands. Berlin announces. Her
and Immediately TO the west, Hes ~
gravest menace 10 the Italian armie-
af-k
from the lsonzo has now virtual
Joined hands with the Austro-Germs
lrenuno forces which came 10 nc,
them from the Sugana valley.
The two armies are now trying
push through TO the South TO lea
The Sedan" movement into the ItaI
an rear. To do SO they must DC,
southwark OF Primolono between tW
powerful mountain ridges, marked b
Monte Bertiaga. southwest of Asiag.
and Monte Grappa, southeast OF Prfn
olono. Through the open space b,
tween these ridges they are trying
wedge themselves toward BaSsan,
whence a railway leads to Citadel,
This whole movement Is being cal
Tled on some forty miles to the nortl
west, that is. in the rear, Of the Ital
an center. on the Piave-if, indee,
that center still stands on the rive
and has not yet begun further rctirt
ment westward.
Italians Not Idle.
The Italians are not idle. Beside
meeting the heavy Teuton barras
IRE across the river with a continuou
and sustained counter canponade. the
have fought and won many local ir
fantry engagements- In some Of thes
the Teutons lost heavily. according Z
Rome. The Italians even took prisor
ers. Between Quere and Foltre. fe
instance. the Austro-German troof
met defeat in an attempt TO cross "a
Plave. They were equally beaten o
at San Dona di Pisve ana at Intests
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