New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28
Half a Million Men Press
Furious Attack on 23-
Mile Front
Emperor Charles
And Mackensen Lead
Foe Advances Over Border
Bearing Banners La
belled peace"

LONDON, Oct. 27.-Thrust back to
Irs ian territory by an enormous con-
e ration Of German and Austro-Hun-
. an troops and guns, Count Caoor-
"a battered troops are tonight hght-
FMS desperately in the foothills OF the
Jrrsn Alps to bar the hostile hosts
s-,n the plains Of Eastern Venezia.
sccording to the night Berlin Off
c. statement, Italian captives now
m, ,ber several thousand over the co.
cof reported in the day communiquo'
VII le the guns taken are more than
five hundred.
Three hundred and fifty Austrian
bsttsions and ten German divisions
are concentrated in the present attack,
say, a correspondent of the petit Par
;sienn who is at the front. This
means probably about half million
men. The width of the attack is ap-
proximately twenty-three miles.
Emperor Leading Drive
Berlin announces that Emperor
Charles of Austria-Hungary is leading
the attack in person. From various
sources comes the information that
Generals Won Ludendorff, Won Mack
snsen and Won Below, three Of the
Kaiser's most famous leaders, are also
present.
Giving way in the Tolmino region,
the Italians have retreated, according
to the latest official advices from Rome,
to the Monte Maggiore-Auzza line.
Further south the evacuation Of the
hard won Bainsizza Plateau, an
nounced Friday night, is now about
complete. Between the Bainsizza and
the sea, the Italian lines on the Carso
Plateau are still intact, although a
tent artillery duel is going on there.
Wide Invasion Planned
lhe enemy is apparently attempting
g wide invasion Of Italy. The Berlin
official statement says, "Our troops are
pressing toward the Italian plain
through the spurs Of the Julian Alps"
Tho Teutons are trying to outfsnk all
the Italian positions between the Toll
mino sector and the Adriatic in a
gigantic turning movement, which
would be disastrous for the defenders
II successful. So far, Cadorna seems to
have the situation in hand except for a
weakness in heavy artillery. He is in
position TO rush Italian and Franco
British reinforcements to the i'm
perilled part Of MS line at least as
fast as the enemy can bring up new
forces.
The Germans, if they debouch from
the Mills, will probably try to follow
the railroad which runs westward
athrough Cividale and Udine. The Ital-
Ian general STATS latest statement to-
Day says the foe crossed the Italian
boundary line between Monte Canin and
the head Of the Judrio Valley.
The northern part of the Italian sec
end army, which conquered the Balm
sifza Plateau, is bearing the brunt of
ths onslaught and seems pretty we'll
cut up, if the Berlin reports as TO pris-
oners taken are correct.
Mountains Still battle-ground
But the Italian situation is not yet
desperate. The fighting is still in the
Mountains, where there are many easily
defended positions. Even If the ltal-
ians cannot hold their present line and
are forced onto the lowlands, to the line
running through Ampezzo. Gemona and
Cividale to Gorilla, military critics here
say the territory east Of Gorilla and
the positions on the Carso could still
be held.
Dispatches from Italian army head
quarters say the Teutonic masses are
advancing bearing great banners
labelled peace" evidently hoping to
induce the Italians TO surrender.
Both sides report intense air ac-
tvity. The Germans claim the downing
Of twenty-six airplanes. Cadorna's
headquarters reports that air raids are
uninterrupted both night and day. so
continuous is the bombing that Italian
cities and towns near the frontiers have
70 clean their streets OF DEBRIS many
times daily, and shops have had to put
Up their shutters because business is no
longer possible.
An Italian semi-of'icial statement de-
seribes the heroism Of the 5th Bersag-
ner Brigade. which is holding the
0ioboeak position in the Aura Gorge,
~ The southern end of the front at
neked. and has taken Teuton prisoners
IN "indefatigable and magnificent coun-
Ter attacks"
=, me Italian front is considered a con-
Shuation Of the Western line, and Great
britain and France are expected to do
everything possible to relieve the press
sfe on their ally.