The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-06
Mackehs ems Delay. to Save
Troops, Gives Cadorna .
Chance to Make Better Stand
LEADERS OF ALLIES
ASSEMBLE In ROME
On Strength of Reinforcements
, Sent to Italian Army in Next
Few Days May Depend Out
come of Approaching Battle

London. Nov 5.-The Teutons have
crossed the Tagliamento.
North of Pinzano! the Rome war
office admitted today. the enemy sue
ceeded In bringing forces to the right
bank. intensified his pressure on our
left wing" Pinzano lies sixteen rnfles
northwest of Udine and on the north
ern reaches of the river.
German and Austro- Hungarian d.
visions" announced Berlin, have
gained the crossing OF the middle Tag
liamento and are advancing west
ward"
The statement adds that 5000 prison-
ers were taken.
The Discrepancy in the two state
ments regarding the scene of the cross
ing gives rise TO the question as to
whether the Teutons forded the river
at two different points, at Pinzano
and somewhere on the middle Tag
Iiamento." Military observers hero
consider it more likely. however, that
the Germans. in referring to the mid
die" course, counted the whole length
os the river from where it rises, in the
heart of the Carnie Alps, down to the
Adriatic sea.
Field Marshal Won Mackensen, it ap-
pears, utilized the lesson of the Marine.
Instead of exhausting. his armies. as
did his colleagues in France threA
Years aza--LE- forced marches twenty
i've miles a day.. he gave his men q
thorough rest, meanwhile bringing up
his heavy artillery and perfecting hin
communications to the rear across tho
mountain passes through which he
swept two weeks ago,
BUT to Cadorna the three days de-
lay appears more than likely to have
proved sufficient to escape the trap.
On the Tagliamento. as on the Ison-
20, the Italian generaiissimo was con-
fronted with the question that invoiv-
ed the fate Of his army, and the fate
of italy:
Shall / stand or retire?"
His prom ptness in deciding on re-
tirement the moment Mackensen's
break-through crushed the italian left
saved the vast bulk of his armies on
the Isonzo, On the Tagliamento he
had more time. There, also, the dam
gers were more numerous, for UP I'm
the Trentino, seventy miles to the
northwest, signs fiared up OF huge
Teuton rear attack. That attack did
not come to pass, presumably to Iull
the Italians into safety on the Tag
liarento. But the shrewd Roman
strategist is FULLY credited with hav.
ing weighed every possibility. and the.
general conclusion of experts here is
that he took advantage OF the pause
and sent the bulk of his armies west
ward.
Upon the morale. equipment and
munitionment of his armies. lad upon
tine strength of allied achievements
that can reach his within the next
few days, now depends the question
whether the generally looked-for
italian Marine battle will be fought
or whether Cadorna must draw back
as far as the Brenta, fifty-five miles
west OF the Tagliamento. The latter
alternative woutd mean the forced
abandonment fall OF Fenetia.
Between ten and fifteen miles from
the Tagliamento is the Livenza. ana
about ten miles further, the Piava.
At both rovers, IL the Tagliamento IL
definitely given up, only delaying bat
ties are expected TO be fought. unless
French and British guns and men
make possible Il decisive stand
The premiers OF Great Britain.
France and Italy, assisted by the lead
iug military men of the three coun-
tries, are in Rome today discussing
and deciding this question. Before
leaving Paris, Premier Lloyd George
had a long talk with General PERISH
ing, who has gone to the French cap
ital especially to meet the British
prime minister. Field Marshal Haig.
the British chief commander in the
west, was present at the conferences
These British military celebrities acc
ompanied the premier to Rome: Gem
ertll SIR William r. Robertson. chief
OF staff Lieutenant General j. G.
SHUTS. former South African COM
msnder; Major General Sir Henry
Hughes Wilson. of the British gener-
Al staff; Ma jor General r. 3. Maurice,
chief director of military operations.
The conference is looked upon az
tho most momentous OF its kind haid
in the allied camp since the beginning
of the war, since its decisions and con-
sequences are expected to effect not
only the situation on the Italian front,
but, through it, the course of the en-.
tire conflict.