Arizona republican., 1917-10-28
Attempt Surprise Attack

Attempt Surprise Attack
 ARM Y HEADQUARTERS IN NORTHERN ITALY. Oct. 26.-CBy the Associated Press. )-Virtually the entire Austrian army, reinforced by heavy German cOntingents, conducted by the redoubtable Field Marshal von Mackensen, now is facing the Italian army in the greatest offensive since the beginning of the war, with evident purpose of invading the Friulir region, the easternmost province of VeneZia.
 IL is now clear that the Austrians and Germans sought to make a surprise attack at the least fortified point on the north of the Julian front. The field of the present operations can be likened to a huge letter T. From the left arm of the "T"' to it's fooi Is about 22 miles. On this left arm ven Mack ensen attempted to deliver his big blow The arm extends seven miles westward from TOlmino, at the central point Of the T. Tolmino and the nearby vil- lage of Santa Lucia and Santa Maria have become of chief interest as this was the point of the surprise attack
 The lower stroke of the TT" is 30 miles long from Monfalcone to the sea with Gorizia half way down. This gave two main fighting lines, the northern running horizontal, where the greatest blow was struck and the southern running perpendicular, where fierce bOmbardment seeks to prevent the Italians from moving reinforce ments to the threatened region in the north.
 The Julian Alps run back of the northern line and the Carso Alps back of the southern line to the sea The instances states are in a direct line. The mountains gave an irregular for nation, greatly extending the oppos- ing fronts.
 - A9rshal VOn Mackensens ob- I've evidently was to recroSs' the lScnzo whence the Italians had driven the AuStrians back several miles into Austrian territory. He screened the movement by making feints toward the south and also west of Tolmino but hlS main army struck straight for the lsonzo, at San Lucia and Santa Maria.
 The Italian forces were compara- lively small at these Outermost limits oi their lines and it's advancing waves succeeded in crossing the IsonZo with comparatively little obstruction. Here however. they were faced by a low range of mountains in which the nasses are strongly held by the Ital ian army, now heavily reinforced from the center and the south.
 The whole operation now pivots on the possibility of von Mackense driv- ing through these passes, where the city of Cividale is the first importa mi place leading to the rich and level plain. All indications are that the Italians are masters of the passes and can hold von Mackensen against fur- Iner advance although the tremendous force he has massed might permit a further scattered incursion
 The correspondent went over a long stretch of the front today in company with headquarters officers. Every- where there was evidence of complete preparedness in the midst of the fer rlflc bombardment by both armies
 Much havoc had been wrought bv this fruitless bombardment. One shell struck building occupied by IocaI command. sending up a volcano of de partmental reports but not killing anv- one. 'ii1
 further along, two Austrian air pianes flew low over head amidst storms of shots which burst like cot- ron polls across the sky. They were untouched and sailed off proudly but tne'I prlde was brief An Italian off
 to'u liie sequel half hour later
 NC saw them coming" he said and our batteries opened. A shell Suuck one machine amidships. The pi- lot Vainly tried to disengage himself lie made plunge from the wreck and Shet down inside our lines, while fam t.s tatters of the machine trailed after nm; like the. smoking remnant of q discharged rocket :"
 On the right we reachad tho ,,... ern outskirts of Houtholst forest nd captured the villages of yorbrandas- mis, Aschkoop, Merckem and Kinna as we'll as a great number of stroneIv fortified farms. We took about a hlIn- dred prisoners.
 On the Aisne front there was feeble activity on the part of the enemy ar tillery. We made new progress before