The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-29

Rome Reports Complete RspuIse
Ut AuStro-German Forces
on Pave River.
SITUATION IN NORTH SERIOUS
Teuton Occupation Of Monte AsOIoas
Threatens Venetian PIains-siu
Force of Germans There.

Rome. Dec. 21.-Complete repulse OF
yesterdays attack by the Austro-Ger-
man forces, which was delivered On
the Tasson-Col Del Orso front, BE-
tween the Brenta and the Piaye. was
announced by the war office today.
The enemy suffered heavy losses.
New attempts by the enemy toscross
the Piave Vecchia were frustrated.
Situation Serious Again.
Italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, Dec. 21-The situation in the
northern fighting zone has assumed a
more serious aspect with the enemy's
occupation Of Monte Asoione, whence
there is q stretch of hills between him
and the level plain Monte AsoIone
is the last of the heights in that sec
ton with an altitude of more than
1000 feet high and snowless except in
severe winter. This remaining stretch
of hills is about seven miles across
with Bassano four miles further on
The enemy's heavy guns already have
the range beyond Bassano, which lies
on the Venetian plains near the en-
trance TO the Brenta Valley, and while
the city itself has not yet been shelled
occasional shells have fallen in the
outskirts and some have passed over
the city to the suburbs beyond
Enemy Has Seventeen Divisions.
The reports show that the enemy is
employing seventeen divisions in its
operations between the Brenta and
| PiaTe rivers. Of these six are certain
and nine probably German. Deserters
who come in say the enemy troops de-
| clare they viii be in the plain by the
holidays as they are strong in their
/ desire to get down from the mountain
heights before the nardships Of winter
set in
Five different attempts to cross the
old Piave near its mouth indicate that
1 the enemy is adopting the plan OF
striking the two extremities OF the
line with the purpose of bending one
or the other back on the center.
Italians Check Attacks.
Headquarters Of the Italian Army in
Northern Italy, Dec. 2O.-Extremely
/ heavy fighting has again developed
| both in the northern mountain region
1 and along the lower Piave. The
enemy has made five separate at
! tempts to cross the Sile, or old Piave.
His main effort was about three miles
/ above the mouth Of the river, where
| pontoons and bridge we're used. The
/ first party succeeded in getting across,
but after a series Of furious attacks
was driven back TO the waters edge,
where it still held.
Four other simultaneous attempts
/ in the same region were repulsed in
/ the main, but fighting continues ac-
/ cOrding to the latest reports received.
In the mountain region the enemy
{ concentrated his whole pressure on
/ the heights commanding the pass OF
! San Lorenzo leading down to the
plain and Bassano He was repeated
/ " repulsed, but with heavy reinforce
ments succeeded in making some prog
ress to the summit Of one Of the
heights east of the. Brento river and
the Italian line was correspondingly
retired
J.. The fighting was desperate, as both
sides feel the Importance Of CONTROL
! ing this vital link leading to the
/ plains.
Kaiser Adds New Force.
Washington, Dec 20-Germany,s
! strength on the Franco-British front
| is placed in official dispatches re-
ceived here today at 154 divisions, or
i within one division Of the great force
massed there last July when the Ger
man military effort against France
/ was at its maximum
Withdrawals from Russia and drafts
upon the younger classes Of reservists
have enabled the kaiser not only to
make up the enormous losses suffered
in bloody battles with the Allies, but
to replace the men sent to aid the
Austrians in their invasion Of Italy.
Winter, therefore, finds the Germans
with armies facing the Allies in
France virtually equal to the largest
ever before mustered, with advertise
I