Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-23

Not only arc the Italian lines hold.
ing in the Monte Asolone region. on
the northern front, where threaten
ing salicnt was driven in them early
last week, but considerable proEreu,
has been mado toward restoring tho
original position. This process, begun
by the Italians on Thursday, was con-
tinued Friday, tho Rome War Office
reporting the recapture OF further
ground in the hotly disputed area. 49,, .,s
The Austro-Gcrman command eyit
IDENTIFY had in mind the extension OF
tho Asolone wedge in a way further
to imperil the entire Monte Grappa po-
sitlon to the east. tho Italian bulwaik
against the intended drive into the
plains, and this possibility still RE-
mains. The Italians. however. have
| reEatived much OF the enemy advan-
tage. and even tho German accounts
OF the fighting concede that for the
present tho aggressive is on the Itale&
ian side. with the Asolone Hcightsf ftfs
objective of repeated attacks. i4ss
ACTIVITY AT Low EBB
IN OTHER WAR AREAS
Thcre has been no fighting of con-
sequence in any OF the other war areas.
military activities being at a low ,ebb
everywhere else. Even tho artillery
engagements along the French front
appear to have lessened in intensity,
and there has been no indication of.a
revival OF the infantry activity in
Upper Alsace, where I German dcin-
onstration on Friday Eave the enemy
a temporary advantage, which Was
quickly wiped out by tho aggressive
French reaction.
In Russia, the strife for control is
assuming broader aspects. The ap-
parent solidifcation OF the Ukraine
Cossack movement in Southern Russia
seems to be giving the opposition to
tho Bolshevisi firmcr hold on that
territory. The Petrograd commission
crs themselves are considerably woE-
rlcd by tho spread OF the scparatfat
movement. which prospectively is CUT
ting huge slices off Russian territory.
not only in the direction OF Ukraine
and tho Don region. but in various
other quarters. Evidence OF this ap-
pears in their sending emissaries to
the numerous affected districts In an
effort to line them up again In sum
port OF the Bolsheyiki regime at Pet.
rograd.
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
STATUS UNCEnTAIF
Tho status OF tho Russian peace
negotiations continues uncertain. Re-
itcratcd reports are coming out of
Petrograd that the negotiations were
broken or because of tho objectionable
nature OF the German terms, and that
the Russian representatives had left
Brcst Iiitoysk. Up to a late hour there
mad been neither confirmation nor de-
nial from official sources OF These re
ports.
Some hint that the Teutonic offers
were not OF tho acceptable nature the
Bolsheviki had Indicated they were I
expecting may be found in dcclara-
tion by Leon Trotzky. the BoIsheyiiSi
Foreign Minister, that the Russians
would fight rather than submit TO tob..
jectionable terms. This was coupled.
however. with what appeared to .be ar,
admission OF Russias present military
impotence and the assertion that sis
the Russians wero thus compelled
temporarily to submit they would tofn
with tho German people in q rising
against German militarism-the "a
miiiar Bolshcviki prediction OF
German revolution being thus ecbosd
\ fire at the great Krupp munition.
plant at Essen. Germany, appears 10
have been less serious than tho earIv
reports indicated Apparently the
damage was confined to tho efectr,c
power station. where an EXPLOSION oc.
CURED due to short circuit This 4
building, however, is reported fron,
Dutch sources to have been scr,on.fy 3
damaged se-.s'Fs: