The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04
IS SECOND VERDUN
Italy's Heroic Defense of Monte
Grappa Blocks Huns.
Enemy Readjusting Shattered
Forces for Final Attempt.
RY HENRY WOOD.

With the French Armies in Italy,
Dec. 4.-ItaIy began the fourth week
of her heroic defense of Monte Grappa
today.
The height has been a second Yer
dun for Germany. Three weeks con-
stantly renewed attacks by the Austro-
Germans have failed to gain ground,
Today, the enemy, his vast forces ex-
hausted by the desperation OF the a
tack is reorganizing, readjuSlng, re-
| filling his shattered forces, perhaps
| for another blow.
/ At verdun. French soldiers coined
the immortal phrase. Ills ne Passer
They backed the slogan with their
heroic deeds. The crown prince did
not pass
soldiers took up that phrase
shall not pass" Today they, too.
have enshrined it on Italy's record of
heroism..
Enemy Plainly Beaten.
The enemy is beaten at Monte
Grappa, He may attack again after
today's lull. But the temporary sus-
pension of his plan to crash thru has
1 now on wherever he may seek to
strike, ne will find every strategic
point on on the Piave front held down
| not only by Ita1y's heroic fighters, put
by veterans of the French and British
armies.
The Austro-German assault at
Monte Grappa constituted the Teu-
tons third effort to turn the 1talan
TANKS on the Piave front
! The first endeavor was When the
| Austrians launched the attack on the
Lower Piave, against the Italian right
wing. The result was the Italians
wiped out an entire Teutonic army
which crossed the river.
| Immediately General konrads ana
Krobutin's armies attacked on the left
| italian wing-the second attempt at
| thanking They burst out over the
| Asiago plateau. There they were like
wise checked. Then came the third
trial between the Piave and the Bren-
ia rivers. The enemy concentrated
| for this supreme effort not only kon-
RAIDS and Krobutin's armies, but divi-
| sions from the armies of both Krauss
and Belo.
Is ItaIy's Last Barrier.
| In the center of this third battle
ground late Monte Grappa-a noun
famous crest, the southern slopes OF
which descend abruptly to the Nene-
tan plains The mountain was the
] last barrier between the enemy ana
turning of the Italian left wing. A
| victory for the foe here would have
! meant retreat to the Adiage-opening
to German spoliation the Venetian
| Mains with the rich cities of Venice,
| Padua VicenZa, TrevlSo.
! Grappa's importance thus equaled
that of Verdun. Carrying out the par
alleI Mounts Pertlca, Solarola, Spinon-
cia. Pallone, Monferta and Tomba con-
stituted the advanced defenses of the
mountain-just as forts Douaumont,
| Vaux. Thiaumont. Froid de Terre and
others of Verdun's advanced defenses
constituted the outer chain of the
French citadel.
Against Grappa's outer ring the
4 Germans launched the cream of the
mountain fighting troops-just as the
crown prince threw his Prussians
against Douaumont and the others at
| Verdun At Grappa the famous Ger
man Alpen korps, the Austrial imper-
ial sharpshooters, German chasseurs
and the Austrian edelweisS divisions
were hurled to the assault.
Romans Fought Like Fiends.
The Italians fought like fiends.
/ Prisoners today declare the resistance
often wiped out half of the attackers
effectives. That was almost the ra-
ito at Verdun.
heroic resistance permitted time for
allied reinforcements to complete their
4 organization. At Grappa. the stop
= page of the enemy move allowed
French and British armies to get into
line in perfect organization, without
hurry.
They are now there. The Piave
line now seems impassa BILE.
Ills ne passer on ne pas is the slo-
gan.