The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-05
ITALY CAPTURES
MOUNT GABRIEL;
ACREAT VICTORY
Completes Chain of Mountains
Overlooking Gorilla.
Seize Fortress and $50 AUS
trians-32 Officers.
ALLIES TO CRUSH AUSTRIA
Retaliate To Offset Germany's
Offensive in Russia.
Pressure Strong Urging o. 5.
To Declare State of War.
Seize Fortress and $50 AUS
trians-32 Officers.
ALLIES TO CRUSH AUSTRIA
(By the Associated Press.1

Italy's long years of preparation and
General Cadorna's strategy and ability
as commander, continue to bear fruit
in the great Triest offensive.
Tho official announcement is lack
ing. there seems little reason to ques-
ton dispatches from various sources
that Monte San Gabriel, the last of
the Austrian strorgholds in the Go
rizia district, has been taken away by
Italian troops, giving them possession
of the chain of hills dominating the
Gorilla area. This emInence in fact
has been at the mercy of the Italians
since the fall of Monte Santo, its
neighbor. the way now seems clear
for General Cadorna to dominate the
t'alnS1zza plateau and push On into
the Chiapavono valley, driving a
wedge between the Austrian northern
and southern armies on the Isonzo
front and severing their lines of COM
munication.
With the taking of Monte San Ga
br1el, the capture of $50 prisoners,
probably all the remaining Austrian
garrison, with 80 officers, is reported
On the West Front
On the Franco-British front British
SneI1S dropped upon the German lines
IN Flanders are causing the Germans
10 contemplate abandoning wide ex-
panSe of territory. The next entente
push apparently is imminent and as a
measure of preparation the Germans
are reported to be removing the civil
ian population of a district extending
twelve miles or more to the east of the
present front in West Flanders as far
as the Thourou-Courtrai line, embrar-
ing an area of some 200 square miles
A theory advanced for the reported
evacuation is that the German COM
mand, dreading the effect of the next
drive, is preparing to flood the low
lands with water q from the Schefdt,
thus blocking allied progress. An
other supposition is that the Germans
lack the men to hold the present lines
firmly and are preparing for a
strategic retreat"
Is Germany Ready First?
Meanwhile the air forces on both
sides are active Immediately back of
the opposing lines and in widely ex-
tended fields Germany is pushing her
air campaign against England to an
extent that is leading London to won
der, as one newspaper expresses it, if
Germany has got her great air of
fensive'' ready before that of the
British.
London, Sept 5.-A dispatch re-
ceived at London confirms the capture
by the Italians of Monte San Gabriel
, together with $50 prisoners including
80 officers. The Italians now possess
the entire chain of mountains which
dominate Gorilla.
Paris, Sept. 5.-The Petit Parisien
says that news has reached Paris
stating that the Italians have taken
possession of Monte San Gabriel
Encircled by Italians.
Rome, Sept. 5.-Capture of Monte
San Gabriel was officially announced
| by the Italian war office today.
| With Mounts Kuk (Cucco), Vodice
and Santo Gabriel constituted the
great chain of peaks which defended
Continued Page TwoI