The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-12-28
WEEKLY WAR REVIEW

In succession Of brilliant attacks
the Italians have succeeded in dis
lodging the Austro Germans from 4
great part OF Monte Asolone. on the
northern front, and driving him back
more than two-thirds OF q mile alons
n three mile front. The enemy's oc-
cupation OF Monte Asolone was rc-
Parded as . serious menace. because
il gave him partial control Of San Lo-
renzo valley, leading to the plain and
Bassano.
The Austro-German command evil
IDENTIFY had In mind the expansion OF
the Asolone wedge In a way further
to imperil the entire Monte Grappa
position TO the east, the Italian bul.
warl against the intended drive into
the plains, and this possibly still re-
mains, The Italians, however, have
. negatived much Of the enemy advan
tage and even the German accounts
Of the fighting concede That for the
present the aggressive Is on the Ital-
ian side, with the Asolone heights the
objective Of repeated attacks.
There has been no fighting OF con-
sequence in any OF the other war
areas, military activities being at 4
low ebb everywhere else. Even the
artillery engagement along the
French front lessened in intensity
and there has been no indication Of a
revival OF the infantry activity IN
upper Alsace, where a German dem.
onstration gave the enemy a temper.
ary advantage. which was quickly
wiped out by the aggressive French
reaction.
In Russia the strife for control Is
assuming broader aspects. The ap-
parent solidificatlon Of the Ukraine
Cossack movement in southern Rus
sia seems to be giving the opposition
TO the Bolshevid a firmer mold on
that territory. The Petrograd COM
missioners themselves are consider
ably worried by the spread of the sep
aratist movement, which prospective
ly Is cutting huge slices OF Russian
territory, not only in the direction Of
the Ukraine and the Don region, but
in various other quarters. Evidence
OF this appears in their sending ennis
saries to the numerous affected dis.
tricts in an effort to line them up
again in support OF the BolsheViki
regime at Petrograd.
Peace negotiations between the
Teutonic allies and the Russians have
begun at Brest Litovsk. DR.. Won
Kuehlmann, the German foreign sec
retary and an astute politician, has
been chosen unanimously as official
chairman. Russia, Germany, Austria
Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey are
represented at the conference. Rou-
mania is .. not participating in the
parley
London announced on Dec. rs that
British airnen shelled Mannheim, 4
commercial city on the Rhine and i'm.
portant food base for German troops
on the western front. The airmen
dropped a ton Of bombs, starting sew.
eral fires. One British machine was
lost.
Rome reported that the italians re-
captured positions on the AsiaEo pla,
teau. The Germans report the cap.
ture of 5000 Italians in engagements
around Col Del Rosso.
Increased artillery activity on the
nart of the Germans is noted in the
Verdun sector Of the French front,
A Petrograd dispatch Of Dec. 81 re.
rorted that Count CzerSn, the Austro.
Hun'arian foreign minister, at the
session OF the peace conference At
Brest Litovsk, read a statement tn
,ae effect that the central powers
agreed to conclude Immediately a
general peace without toEcible annex
atoms and indemnities.