Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-25
IMPENDING ASSAULT is
PREPARED FOR BY
ALLIED FORCE
RUSS LEAVE FORT
kRoNsTADT, PRINCIPAL PRoTEc.
TON EVACUATED BY ORDER
OF ARMY cHiEETAiNs.

Developments OF the highest DOS.
sible ..portance and Of world wide in.
terest have marked the war situation
during the past "a hours. Briefly they
are:
A great new army, composed of
German and Austro, Hungarian troops
and supported by German artillery has
begun an offensive against the Ital-
ians. Ground has gained at three
points along twenty mile front from
Flitsch to the Bainsizza Plateau, but
the Italian lines are holding firm.
This is the first time that a German
army has been sent into the Italian
theatre of war and the action Of the
German general staff in doing so ID
considered highly significant.
Following the great French victory
north Of the Aisne river in France,
where the French are driving against
the defenses Of the German fortress
OF Laon, indications have arisen point
ing to another German retirement
French aviators reported that the
Germans are telling forests and are
destroying villages, bridges and rail.
ways just as they did before their ~
treat from the Somme. It Is reported
also that the Germans have ordered
the civilian population to evacuate
Menin on the France Belgian frontier.
The Russian civilian population has
begun the evacuation OF Kornstadt
the chief fortress 20 miles west OF and
defending Petrograd on the sea side,
! It is officially announced In the Rus.
sian capitol. This indicates that the
Russians fear that the mighty Ger.
man fleet in the Baltic will force the
gulf Of Finland In an effort to get ct
Petrograd. kronstadt Is the main base
Of Russians Baltic sea feet Offset.
ting this, however, was the official an
nouncement Of the Russian war ONCE
that the Germans continue to fall
back on the Riga front.
Germans Mass Forces.
Berlin, Oct. 25-Reinforced by more
than half million seasoned veter.
ans, a mighty Austro German army
on the Italian front is today batter.
ing the Italian battle line over front
Of twenty miles in an effort to break
through.
This new offensive which Is report.
ed to have been planned by Field Mar.
shall Won Hindenburg has already re.
suited in important gains for the
Teutons around Flitsch Tolmein and
the northern slope of the Bainsizza
Plateau
More than $500 Italian prisoners
have been captured, according to an
unofficial dispatch from the battle
zone.
II the Teutonic armies are success.
full in their drive the Italian hold up
on Gorilla and Monte San Gabrielle
will be previously menaced and the
Italian pressure against Triesta will
be materially lessened ii not removed
entirely
The war Office statement on the
operations against the Italians is just
to come from this official source since
the entrance Of Italy into IN ewar.
Great masses OF concentrated guns
Of big calibre began bombarding the
Italian positions in the Tyrolean and
Carnica Alps and along the upper
Isonzo on Sunday the fire increasing
to the greatest intensity Fog and
snow flurries at times hampered the
work Of observation but the guns
were kept laundering up to the hour
for the attack
The grand assault was launched
simultaneously all along front Of
twenty miles, and despite the stiff re-
sstance OF the Italian warriors the
Germans occupied number of first
line trenches.
In the preliminary bombardment the
German and Austro-Hungarian artil'
lery used large quantities OF a new
fashioned gas shell against the Ital'
lans At latest accounts the battle
was continuing.
A London cablegram TO the Inter
national News Service said on Monday
quoted Rome advices as saying that
. the Germans and Acknowledgements
, were massing reinforcements OF men
, and guns on the Italian front and
f. that on offensive against the Italians
on major scale was imminent
i