Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-05

Italy's situation appears lncreas-
ingly grave to-day with the an
nouncement from Rome that the
TaCliamento river, west OF whlch
General Cadorna had established ms
new line after the great retreat
from the IsonZo had been croS5ea
bv the Austro- German invaders.
The crossing of the river appar
ently has not yet been In sulllclenI
force to compel Cadorna to ueCiue
upon abandonment OF the Iaslli-
mento line, but the TeutohlC coii
mander undoubtedly Will MAKE InS
most of the opening he mas lolceu es
to debouch against the 1tallan posi-
tions north and south of the point
where he has gained footing on
the wet bank of the stream.
Pressure Increases
That this process is already unaeT
way is indicated by the fact thaI
Rome tells of increasing Austfo-
German pressure against the ltaldh
left wing, where the crossing was
effected.
The spot selected by the enemy Tor
the successful attempt near Plgnaho'
about forty miles from the mouth
of the river and about II miles north
west of Udine-was Mt a point where
the marshy ground encountered
further to the south begins to DIS
Aappear, the banks rising perceptlhly
and the river narrowing down.
If General Cadorna decides to
abandon the Tagliamento line, at
which it is by no means certain that
he Intended to fight more than
delaying action, his next natural
stand for the defense of Venice
will be at the Livenna, from ten to
fifteen miles further west or finally
at the Piave, some ten miles further
in that direction.
Condition Grave
Meanwhile, as the opposing armies
are struggling for temporary mastery
of the field. the entente leaders, in
cluding the British and French
premiers and military advisers are in
council in Rome to deal with the
situation which admittedly is recog-
nized as grave, coupled as the pow
erful attack from the east is with
the threat of a thanking movement
by the Austro- German forces south
ward in the Trentino, to the west of
the present battle front.
While General Cadorna's forces are
facing the invading German
hordes along the Tagliamento, an
Italian naval bulletin referring to in
tense dCllNllN III lHe Sull VI TIeSl III
dicates that the Adriatic may soon be
the scene of an important develop
ment and the turning point in the
present struggle in that theater of
the war.
Meanwhile France and Great Bri-
tain are rushing their greatest mill
tary and government leaders to aid
Italy. Premier yd-George, Cen
eral Sir William Robertson. chief of
the Imperial staff of the British
army; Lieutenant General ]. c.
Smuts, the former South African
commander, and other officials in
company with Premier Painleve, who
is heading the French mission, are
on their way to Rome for confer
ence with the italian war chiefs pre-
sumably to map out an intensive
campaign involving the Italian forces
reinforced in both manpower and
materials drawn from France and
Great Britain.
Fighting in Flanders
Signs of a probable impending re-
newal of the offensive by Field Mar
shall Haig in Belgium may be seen in
the German statement on the west
erD front operations. This reports
the opening last night of a heavy,
destructive bombardment along the
User lowlands and from Houtholst
wood to the Ypres-Comines canal.
This means, apparently, that Haig's
guns have opened up forcefully along
virtually the entire front from the
North sea to the French border.