Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-26

es In a counter attack yesterday but
1t was found impossible to hold them,
the war office announced today.
Paris Dec. 26:-"on the right bank
Of the Meuse( Verdun front) the en-
ergetic reply to our batteries put an
end to- vigorous bombardment Of
''vsux.' ssay9 today's official communi-
M t.sls,s.on Yof st, sapsntin; and
axE xEs:ttibsAFstfs ssDsnci,g pasrois- pens
setrated Gsffnan trenches and brought
back prisonefS. $stt =. ~ s. \,
t..sI1 ts...:sI1verywhere elss the night was
calm. :" 4 sS ~.
London, Dec. 2e.-."There was
ish front in France yesterday says
the official statement issued today by
the war Office. ~
Venice, Tuesday, Dec. 25.-A me-
mortal mass was celebrated in San
Marco church today, in commemora
tion OF the deliverance Of Jerusalem
from the !l1. Turk.
VISITS ITALIAN 49, 2
FRONT LINES Il
Il Italian Army Headquarters in
Northern Italy, Tuesday, Dec 25.-
(By the Associated Press. "A gener-
al commanding an army corps on the
Piave front took the correspondent
along the line occupied by his corps
today and pointed out the Austro-
German nest on the west bank of the
river, the only foothold he has sue
ceeded in maintaining. Mt3 A
The main purpose Of the Italian
~ m M q v1d0r tn holiday
greeting to his men in the first line
trenches ebut incidentally It gave an
opportunity for the general to ex-
plain why the enemy was able to hang
1T was noted that the .defenses had
been highly organized SO that any
sudden rush of the enemy would meet
tremendous resistance. The defenses
comprise a string OF trenches fortified
with masses OF tangled wire and con-
structed after the Chevaux de Ftise
order, with numerous sharp tprojec-
tions. <, ~
Entering the first lire trenches the
general led the way. The ground in
front was covered with low bushes
and scrubby vines running down to
the waters edge. Behind thisp ran q
high earthen mbankment originally
erected as a dyke but now serving the
tnR. In. the foreground were three
large stone farmhouses that had been
torn to pieces by Italian shell fire.
One was still used, the general said,
for the enemy's machine guns. They
were silent then as the holiday season
had by common consent afforded q
luil. 7. l:'i ;j 9.-, $s I:
\ The general stated that the enemy
force in the Zenson curve was about
three battalions, or 1000. with an ex-
cepttonally large supply Of machine
guns. T Their communications were
principally operated In tho night
The enemy's foothold on the west
bank OF the Piave here was not re-
garded by, the general as q serious
menace to the italians. It could be
cleared out at any time, he said, but
the eRort was not worth the sacrifice
II would require sip the face of the
machine guns. The bend was com
pistsly controlled and hemmed in and
# yves better, he thought, to let the
enemy sacrifice his men in holding q
position useless to- him. al sis:G i
y. The general had q CHEEKY word for
the men In The trenches, presenting
many .of them With holiday gifts and
gtylng enc0uraESment and praise to
All The men were In the best OF spir-
It's looked sturdy and well condition-
ed And were unantmon ons lin assuring
their commander thar they could
hold the enemy against any furt her