Evening star., 1917-09-10
NEITHER IS VICTOR
IN GOR|z|A BATTLE
Terrific Struggle RACES Night
and Day Between Evenly
Matched Forces.
WHAT ITALIANS HAVE DONE

By the Associated Press.
ROME, September 10.-Gen. Cadorns
continues to press the Austrian forces in
the region of the Austro- Italian from,
northeast of Gorilla, according to the
official statement issued today by thu
Italian war department. Yesterday ther,
was very great artillery bombardment
south Of the Cafse.
Since the beginning Of the battle the
Italians have captured 145 guns.
Great Battle Never Halts.
UDINE, Italy, September 9 (delayed)
The fight against the heights northeast
of Gorizia continues night and day dur.
ing good and bad weather. The continu
GUS contest seems to the observer to be
animated by superhuman force, the Ital
ians and the Austrians almost constant
ly engaging in hand to hand encounters
A strange situation is brought about
by the two forces virtually equal in
numbers. strength and determination
struggling for supremacy in a circum-
scribed arc, where it is impossible for
either side to employ more men or
artillery. Gaps in the ranks are in
stantly filled. and thus the contendins
forces remain so balanced that victory
apparently is impossible to either side.
The f1erceness of the struggle is proved
by the fact that in twelve hours the
Italians attacked the enemy five times.
Tells Of Terrible Difficulties.
ROME, September s (delayed).-Dif-
ficulties, some of them almost in
superabIe, which have been success
fully overcome by Italy in her prose-
cution of the war were outlined by
Gen. Grandma, minister Of war. in a
statement today to the Associated
Press.
I'm order to appreciate fully the i'm
portance of Italy's military efforts
he said, sit must be borne in mind that
she entered the war at moment when
the position of the central powers was
SO strong that Intervention against
them could no longer be deferred. That
moment was most inopportune for
Italy, however, as she lacked officers.
so that greater efforts were required
to bring the efficiency of the army up
to the standard necessary to triumph
over a formidable enemy's resistance.
Austria is an important element in the
resistance of the central powers. Her
troops have splendid qualities of courage
tenacity and physical resistance. These
forces now on our front are twice as
numerous as at the beginning of the war
not counting the forces of Germany, which
has concentrated on our front two-th thirds
of her best artillery with abundant NUM-
tions. Naturally the increased number OF
troops on our front has been advantageous
to our allies.
Defending Long Front.
Our front. measuring 4Os miles. equals
that defended by France. England and Bel
gium combined. Although it is noun
famous it requires large number OF
troops. owing to the necessity Of protect
ing the important regions behind. Its
mountainous character has necessitated
greater efforts for the construction OF
roads. lodgings and Notifications, intensi-
flying all services and requiring much
more arduous work than If the war were
being fought on level ground.
These efforts can better be under
stood wen it is explained that since the
beginning of the war Italy has more
than doubled it's forces of infantry
bersaglieri and Alpine troops, organ
iHeo ~" SAiui oieSe al tiiiefy, created
absolutely new types of artillery con-
isting of hundreds of batteries of heavy
guns. mule-carried batteries. trench
mortars and numerous anti-aerial bat
teries, both stable and movable, besides
having doubled the field artillery. The
number of engineers and sappers has
been quadrupled and other sections
greatly augmented. There have been
organized thousands of sections of
ordinary machine guns and quick firing
rifles. as we'll as new specialties like
flame throwers and gas electors. The
military aviation forces have been
tripled since the commencement OF the
war in the mountains.
'The necessities OF life of a large
military population fighting in the
mountains require special departments
such as cable transports, means OF
shelter and special supplies of food and
(Continusd on Second PagaJ