The Washington herald., 1917-09-03
ITALIAN DRIVE
NETS big GAINS
Fierce Austrian Counter At
tacks Fail to Check
Advance.

London. Sept. 2.-Along the whole
ninety-mile front of the new Italian
drive, two weeks old today, the Aus
trians launched during the last
twenty-four hours some OF the fierc-
est counter thrusts of the war. Every
where they were beaten off. Not a
foot of ground was regained by them.
Moreover. the Italians ploughed ahead
appreciably in some sectors, taking
additional hundreds of prisoners and
adding to their huge booty.
Along the southern edge Of the
bloOd-soaked Bainsizza plateau on the
northern slopes of Monte San Ca
briele, and to the northwest of Tivoli.
near Gorilla, the Austrian efforts were
particularly desperate. Without the
slightest regard for lives they flung
themselves into the teeth Of Cadorna's
wall of steel which. moving steadily
onward. threatens the collapse of the
Austrian war machine. Terrific losses
were all that these furious onslaughts
nettcd the attackers.
Monte San Gabrielle, bathed In the
italian fire, and almost surrounded,
is not expected to hold out much
longer. Slowly the last remaining de-
fense works of this great strategic
ASASul are GIuInDllng 10 DllS.
On the Carso front the Italians mad
new important local Roadway, adding
to their gains of August 30 and 81.
Fourteen hundred rifles, nine machine
guns and five trench mortars comprise
the booty taken in the Bresto Vivizza
sector alone.
The AUstrians repeated their bonn
bardment of an Italian field hospital
near San Gabrielle. There were no
victims.
Alpine troops reConquered advanced
positions On the Stelvic front abandon
ed by the Italians on August q. A
number Of prisoners were made.
Austrian Press Alarmed.
Grave alarm is voiced in the Vienna
Neue Freie Presse, one of the leading
Austrian newspa pers. with regard TO
the situation at the front The paper
expressed great surprise that the Aus
trian high command, though antici-
pating the Italian drive, was unable
to concentrate reserves to meet the Of
fensive effectively The journal frank
ly characterized the situation as ex-
tremely grave.
The Austrian war office asserts that
in spite of renewed Italian attacks
along the whole front from the Vip-
accio River to Tolmino, the Austrians
held all their gains. Emphasis is laid
upon the Italian numerical superiority.
On the Gorilla front. the statement
asserts, the Austrians recaptured a
trench system, taking I54 prisoners.
including six officers.
Won Maekensen Checked.
From PetroGrad came word today
that the morale of the Russian troops
on the Rupanian front has been re-
stored. Field Marshal Won Mack
eEsen, II is reported. has been COM
PEELED to ask for reipforcements, since
he has been unable to make material
headway despite the recent Russian
disaffection on the Southern front. The
Russo-Rumanian resistance is de-
sCribed as unpTecedentedly stubborn.
Gen. Korniloff has telegraphed to
Premier Kerensky that in view of the
recent happenings on the Rumanian
front he finds it necessary to apply
categoTically the stern measures ad-
vocated by him at the Moscow con-
ference. In some quarters here the
stiffening of the resistance on that
front is believed TO he the immediate
result of the new rule OF blood and
iron"
Took Many Prisoners.
The British war Office announced
today that during the month of Au-
gust 1913 Germans have been taken
prisoners by the British. OF these
l5S were officers.
British fiiers today "bagged' two
German machines. To the southeast
of Ypres the British carried out an
effective aerial raid on German
trenches. Fighting was restricted by
local operations.