Evening star., 1917-11-21
"They Will Never Pass" De-
cIares Officer, After His
Men Check Enemy.
TEUTONIC ASSAULTS
AT MONTE TOMBA FAIL
Invaders Have Been Making Siren
uous Efforts to Achieve Nat
ural Barrier.

Violent Austro-German attacks are
being thrown against Monte Tomba, but
the Italians have repulsed all efforts
successfully. The position is one of the
last natural strongholds protecting the
plains of western Venetia behind the
Piave river and the invaders are making
strenuous efforts to gain it.
Italian offensive operations east Of
Asiago continue and the invaders have.
been driven from severa, positions with
the loss of more than SOC prisoners. No
further attempts have been made by the
Austro Germans to cross the Piave after
the disastrous results attending the ef-
forts of last week -
ROME. November 21-The artillery
actions on Monte Tomba and Monte
Monfenera, the vital points ON the
northern mountain front, were not rO.
newed yesterday. the war office an.
nouncee
Berlin omcial Report.
: BERLIN, November 21. via London
The situation on the Italian front 10
Austrians Drop in Heaps.
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTHERN ITALY. Tuesday, Novem-
Der 2o.-Going to points along the Piays
river where the heaviest fiEhting hss
sekdatf1ed. the Associated Press corre-
spondent was told by officers of un-
usual circumstances connected with the
engagements. The colonel commanding
-hr vrfA H.
said the strategy which the Austrians
attempted turned the tide against
them. In the fight on the ceme-
terry road 1t was suddenly observed
of Austrans were coming toward the
italian lines with both hands held up,
as though ready to surrender. For q
1t was believed the fight was
over and that the enemy had capftu-
lated. But it was then noticed that all
the Austrian machine guns had been
removed, and closer observation
showed that behind this front line OF
men with their hands UP followed lines
with bayonets and machine guns.
The Italians let them come until the
range was short and they were be-
tween two enfilading lines. Then a
deadly fire was opened on both sides
and the Austrians were moved down
In heaps.
Enemy Resistance Broken.
It was then that the rout began. The
Austrian resistance was broken. At
Sega mill. where the enemy had a brief
lodgment, he was forced back until
he was driven to the brink of the river
and then into the water. The Aus
trians were bayoneted and killed or
A colonel eighteen miles farther
down the river told of similar fight
when the Austrians attempted to cross
in boats from their positions near Cali
veschia-
Our men are absolutely determined"
he said. Their determination to hold
the river line is based on experience.
You should have seen them yesterday
when the Austrfans tried to cross in
to the stretch where the river widens.
Our men remained silent while they
saw the boats loading and going to
Then they opened with ma
men were torn to pieces before they
got another twenty feet. Not man
was left alive and all the boats sank
No. you may depend upon it, they will
never pass.
Men Calm and Confident.
The appearance of the men fully con.
hrmed the coloners estimate of their
They looked to be in
perfect condition, with that fine calm
and confidence which comes from high
morale and sureness.
The officer gave the correspondent an
opportunity to go along the defenses
1t this point. which are highly impor-
Lant as part Of the works encircling,
Venice. 1t was not a pleasant ex-
perience, as shells were tearing the air
and there was steady rattle from the
Immediately along the
west bank of the river ran an earthen
for the enemy to face if he ever got
across.
From a loophole the Piave could be
'een spreading out below. with the
The flash of the enemy's rifles came
rom windows of farmhouses and from
the low bushes along the shore, and
The sound of their bullets showed they
we're striking very near.
Fleet Bombardment Heard,
Passing through Mestre, three miles
rom Venice, a heavy rumble of bonn.
"a rdment was heard from the fleet ana
he Venice coast batteries. Deep deto-
ations could be distinguished about
very Ave seconds and then the saIvo
+ many guns, sounding like a broad
ide. Farther on the correspondent
assed one of the royal palaces over
,oking the Brenta canal, which here is
s wide as the Thames. with a stately
Ugh bank The king was not there, be-
1g at headquarters, whence he makes
ally visits to the front. moving about
ufetly and modestly.
The roads were no longer blocked with
afugees The civilians have recovered
rom their first panic. Many women and
hiIdren just back of the Piave have
cen under a rain of shells Odicers
i'd the Austrians were not shellfnr
70 houses OF peasants. hoping to make
se of them, but that IL the Piave line
sid definitely the enemy will bend the
resent security Of the peasants by de-
.roying all houses and all crops and
Iying the region waste.