The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-24
IT Ally DRIVES
HUNS BACK ON
TWO SALIENTS
Victorious Counter Attack on
AsigO Front Saves Romans.
Invaders Cross Piave Near Ven
ice, Then Meet Defeat.
SMALL GAIN ON WEST FRONT
Intense Artillery Fire in Ypres
and Verdun Sectors.
British Capture Ten More
Towns Along Mediterranean.
(Bx the Associated Press. }

Checked in their attempt to drive
thru to the Italian plains east of the
Brenta by the brilliant feat of the
Ialians last week in recapturing the
Azolone heights. the Teutons have
switched their attack to the Brenta's
west bank.
Striking suddenly yesterday in this
Quarter. they pushed into the Italian
lines on the Asigo plateau in the
Vicinity Of Buso, where the FrenZela
valley affords route to the Brenta
valley
Had they succeeded in driving
southeast down the Frenzela valley
~ the Brenta at VaIstagna. three
miles distant, where the valleys
merge. the Italian Ii e on both sides
Of the Brenta would have been in
serious straits. The Rome war office
reports the enemy checked at the
italian rea' positions, whence a coun-
ter attack was launched. This counter
stroke is proceeding with satisfactory
results. the italian statement declares.
Thrown Back Across River.
On the lower Pave front the enemy
has suffered a reverse at the point
where he had driven his lines nearest
10 Venice. The Italians in this sector
carried out an operation yesterday as
the result of which the enemy groups
which had crossed l. ; old Piave Cor
Sile) river were ousted from their
fOothC on the west bank and thrown
back to the easterly side of the stream.
Raids and local attacks have been
carried out in the Ypres and Verdun
sectors on the western front. The Ger
mans gained slightly in a local attack
on the Ypres-Staden railway but at
all other point on both the British and
French fronts they were repuIsed.
The artillery has been extremely
active in the Ypres and Verdun sec
General Allenby has begun a sue
cessful advance along the Mediter-
ranean coast north of Jaffa, Palestine,
After crossing the Nahr Ell Auta his
loops reached the plain of Sharon
and captured ten towns near the Nahr
FL Auja.
The Peace Talk.
81 Peace without annexations and
without indemnities, the formula
adopted by the German reichstag in
It's peace resolution last July is the
Keynote of the Russian peace terms
now being discussed at Brest-Litovsk
The Russian terms have been submit.
ted to the representatives of the cen
tral powers, who have taken them un.
der consideration.
NO compulsory annexation of ter
ritory seized during the war and i'm.
mediate evacuation of it and no con.
lrlDuIonS 10 be required from bellig.
erent countries are proposed by Rus
STA. This is similar to the reichstal
resolution which, however, was no
accepted by DR.. Michaelis. who wal
then German imperial chancellor.
Russia, suggests that countries de
prived of their independence durinl
the war be reinstated and that ma
tional groups not independent before
the war shall decide their status by
referendum.
Germany scored a point in the Sc
lection of DR.. Won Kuehlmann, hel
foreign secretary as permanent chair
man of the conference. Emperor VIII
liam, it is reported unofficially intends
to go to Brest-Litovsk if the diplo
mats now there arrive at an agree
ment to attempt to assemble al
European rulers in a peace conference
T e German ruler is said to have de
clared that everybody wants peace.