The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-07
Absolute Confidence Expressed
By Rome That Withdrawn
Means Final Victory.
STUBBORN RESISTANCE
ADMITTED BY BERLIN
Ablest Military Leaders of Eu-
rope Confer on Best Means
to Check and Whip Advanc-
ing Teuton Hordes.
London. Nov. s.-All italian armies

London, Nov. s.--AlI italian armies
save one---that in the Southern tip OF
the Treutnc are In retreat TO escape
q huge pincer drive begun by Macken-
sen after the piercing OF the Italian
line IN the Tagliamento.
The front OF the retreat, which is
partly admitted by the Rome war Of
tlce, is lao miles long. 1t stretches, in
the Tines of giant seven" from the
Sugana valley region across the Dolo-
mites and the region below the Carnic
Alps to the Fella valley where the
Tagliamento takes its sharp turn
that river to the sea of that name.
Beriin's report. concludes with this
significant statement:
Further operations OF the tTeu-
tonie1 allied armies have been begun"
-Thesa further operations military
critics here say can mean but one
thing: The long expected drive by the
Teuton right wing In the Trentino
southwark across Nenetia to Venice In
an attempt to cut off the escape of all
OF Cadorna's armies.
Every dispatch from Rome. Official
and unofficial, breathes absolute con-
fidence that this Teuton plan will fail.
To Illustrate it, and to snatch victory
out OF the Jaws OF defeat, the best
military brains of Italy. England and
France are now ccnferring in Rome.
But for the present the situation la
admittedly grave. The italian retreat
continues orderly. The morale OF
Eadorna's armies. according to Rome
advices, has wonderfully ~ithstood all
the severe trials of the past two weeks,
and the Italian lighting spirit 10 grow
ing rathes than decreasing With every
new mile OF Teuton advance on Itai~
ian soil.
At last Official italian accounts.
Cadorna's third army. led by the duke
Of Aosta. was still holding out on tina
lower course 'oe the Tagliamento.
Teuton vanEuards. approaching the
rivers east bank near the important
railroad point and bridgehead OF San
vito, were beaten oft.
But the complete abandonment Of
the Tagliamento line was foreshad-s
owed by the statement in Cadorna's
day bulletin that Teuton detachments
had baen pushed toward the middle
and lower course Of the river. The.
Berlin war office report. evidently re-
cording events Immediately following
the state OF affairs builetined by
Cadorua, said :.
THE rapid widening OF the bridge
head fof PinZano in the upper reaches
of the tTiver) thus gained by success
full fighting compelled the enemy to
eyacuate the whole river line to this
Adriatic coast"
Abandonment of the mountain front
is conceded by the Rome war Office.
Berlin says the whole italian front
between the Fella valley and Colbri-
con. north OF the Sugana valley ttha
front that marks the upper strokes OF
the "seven'D Is shaking. the Italians
having been compelled ito give up
zones of defense which they have con-
solidated for years past" This front ~
ninety three miles long.
Indirect praise for the Italian stub
tornness OF resistance is contained IN
this statement of the German ofneial
report:
Up the river to the Feils valley
Italian brigades still held out yester-
day"
. Dispatches from the Italo-Teuton
front point out today what has been
repeatedly said In these dispatches
during the last ten days--that the
Tagliamento river could serve Ca
dorna only for hghting delaying bat
tie. Upon the success failure OF
the Italian maneuvers after reaching
the west bank OF the river depends the
whole future course OF the campaign.
There Is well grounded belief In
military circles that Cadorna sent thu
bulk of his armies westward almost
Immediately after crossing tho Taglia-
mento, and that the west bank was
held during three days of welcome de-
lay on the part of Mackenssn. only by
rear guards. This would give CadornA
start of ar least forty-eight hours.