New-York tribune., 1917-12-11
New Teuton Drive
Has Been Checked,
Italians Report
Hundreds of Thousands OF
Foes Best Soldiers Lost
in Italy
TStaf Correspondence

WASHINGTON, Dec. l0.-The Aus
tro-German offensive against Italy has
failed. "a official cable from Rome to-
day declared The enemy have lost
hundreds of thousands of their best
soldiers, and their further operations
are confronted by insuperabe Difficult
ties. Their present position, the ad-
vices assert, is more unfavorable than
at the beginning of their drive. The
dispatch follows:
"The fierce fighting Of the last few
days has subsidized into a period of COM
parative calm. The superhuman resist
ance of the Italian soldiers prevented
the Austro-Germans from attaining the
strategical advantages of their obJec-
. tive, although they succeeded in obtain
ing gains of purely tactical character.
THE failure OF the enemy attacks is
indicated by the inactivity on the en-
tire front for three consecutive days.
The invaders have desisted from at
;acking the positions in the direction
OF the Brenta Canal on account Of the
complete exhaustion of the forces en-
gagged.
This result is so mucr more i'm
portant because of the German system
Of employing large bodies Of troops
and Of repeating the effort with al
ways increasing violence in order to
reach the goal.
Great Sacrifice BY Germans
"One must also consider the fact
that in mountain warfare a victory
will not produce the desired effect un-
less it is Immediately exploited with
unrelented action. General Conrad Won
Hoetzendorf has sacrificed hundreds OF
thousands Of his best soldiers in sue
cessive assaults. preceded by unprece-
dented artillery preparations. and to-
day the position of the Austro-Ger-
mans. while not improved by the prog
ress mad. is in fact more uniavora-
bic to them than at the beginning o.
the offensive, because OF the dlIhcuiIleS
of reyictuallng the troops, IT beng
necessary for the invaders to transport
all the water TO their positions.
"The heavy snowfslls OF the season
will also aggravate the hardships Of the
enemy and threaten the lines OF COM
munication.
"It NAV be stated, therefore, that the
Central Powers have failed TO OBTAIN
their concrete general objective. name :
IL. 10 break through our lines and lead
the yictorious armies into the plains OF
Talv. where they expected to hnd com
Portable shelter surng the winter
months. Suchs failure is due TO stag
oerine losses which our soldiers we're
able TO inlict upon the invaders.
"A brigade OF bersaglieri and an IN
fantrv regiment covered them selves
With glory i'm the heroic defence OF
Monte Sisemol These units bore the
brunt Of the enemy attacks from No
venber & TO rs. and or the sixth day .ot
tho battle they resisted the assaults
and counter attacked six times 10 the
face of terrific artillery IRE, disputlns
every foot of ground with hand-to-
hand engagements
The foregoing dispatch, received from
Rome late to-day. sent thrill through
Allied circles. where it was declared
tho moral effect Of the Austro-German
defeat would be great in neutral coun-
tries. .
The principal effect, however, It was
asserted would be in Italy and the
Allied countries. A defeat admittedly
would have threatened disastrous DO,
i;ticai consequences in Italy and would
haye discouraged the Allied peoples.