The Washington herald., 1917-10-30
Cadorna's Troops to Make
Stand on Tagleamento
River Line. go
FLANK AND REAR OF
ARMY Is THREATENED
Rome Recalls Cowardice
Charge-kaiser Speed
ing to Scene. !

London. Oct. 2e.-With death
defyins vslor. that has caused the
Rome War Ohee promptly to re-
call its charges Of "oowsrdioe.-
the Italian armies east of the
lsonzo, now fighting on Italian SOL.
are throwing themselves into the
teeth of Maekensen's monstrous
steam roller.
They have succeeded in slowing
up the Teuton sweep through the
passes into the Venetian plains.
But though its ''bre.k-throush"
momentum seems spent. and its
speed has slsekened. the Teu,on
machine rolls on reIentlssly. Its
center has reached the gates of
Udine, where up to a few days
ago Cadorna had his chief head
quarters.
Fight Delays Big Battle
Every dispatch from Rome, off,
cial and unofficial. comedies that
the Italians are now fighting a de-
laying battle. that they must keep
on retiring until they reach the
line of the Tagliamento River.
twenty miles from Udine.
On that line Italy. with every
available man and gun and every
ounce of energy will make her su-
preme stand. A second battle Of
the Marne is looked for. Upon its
outcome rests the fate of Italy. In
many quarters the belief prevails
that it will decide the war.
One Army wiped Ont.
Partly driven. partly threatened In
the flank and rear. the entire l2O-mile-
long Italian battle line. from the Gulf
OF Trieste Up 10 the Carnic Alps. is
fleeing westward TO reach the Tagiis-
mento. One army. the Second. which
held the lines between Tolmino and
Fitch, where the "break-through'
came. is virtually wiped out.
But two other armies in this retreat
ing line are in extreme peril. namely.
the Carso army and that in the Carnic
Alps. Both are menaced with being
completely cut of from every svenus
of escape.
Cadorna's Carso army has only q
'loophole' ten miles wide left 70 slip
through TO Join the Gorizia army In
the fight OF the Taglismento. The
army on the Italian extreme left 10
threatened with being bottled up in the
Carnic Alps.
In the two Teutonic empires un-
bounded jubilstion reigns. Full holi-
days have been declared to celebrate
the victory. and every city. town and
hamlet is benagged.
Claim Cormens Capture.
Emperor William is reported speed
i
front TO Join his ally, Emperor Charles.
who is in nominal command Of the
/ Teutonie offensive. There the two
Kaiscrs plan to view the supreme
clash between their armies and that
OF their ertswhile ally.
Host ominous among the days o.
fetal claims is that from Berlin, TO
the effect that the city OF Cormons.
seven miles west OF Gorizia, has been
captured Only FIVE miles TO the
southeast OF this point lies Grsdisca.
Retween Gradisca and the Gulf Of
Trieste the Italian Carso army musJ
make its escape.
There is a possibility that Il got
away before the Teutons could bar its
escape. Last oficial word from Rome
regarding the Carso army was that
it was bravely holding its own. Thnt
was two days ago. The Teuton ad-
vance has been so swift that grsvo
fears are felt here for the safety OF
the great Italian army which In re-
cent months covered itself with so
much glory by its victories on the
Carso.
Not alone Italy. but all the nations
allied with her hesved a deep sigh
OF relief when the Rome War Once
today rectihed what Is believed to
have been a statement born OF the
bevildcrment caused by the crushing
initial Teuton blow.
Italians Didn't Qslt.
The entire allied world had been
plunged into anxiety and srief by yes
terdRy's oricial Italian bulletin, which
said that some Italian units lin cowA
ardice retired without fighting or sur
rendered TO the enemy" A repetition
CONTINUED on FASI TWO.