Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-24
Austro-GermanS Are Concen-
trating All Available Forces
for Terrific Drive to Break
Defenders,
WINTER IN MOUNTAINS
HAS BECOME UNBEATABLE
General Diaz' Army Now in
Best of Spirits; Great Dash
Seen in Recapture of Monte
ASoIne.

"oPN'ho JOURNAL SPECIAL
With the French Armies in North.
ern Italy, Saturday, Dec. 90. BY the
Associated Press). Unexpectedly
baked in their march toward the
plain by the loss of the Monte Asolone
positions within twenty-four hours
after they had captured them, the
Austro-German forces are concentrat-
ing heavily, according to all available
reports north and northeast of this
important approach to dominating
Monte Grappa. A new and unprece-
eentedly vigorous onslaught on the
barriers to the plains is expected soon.
Even cursory trip to the Grappa
sector is sufficient to reveal convinc-
ingly how formidable the italian posi-
tons are backed up by a rejuvenated
army, thoroughly reorganized and re-
equipped and whose spirit was shown
by the counter-atta ck which recap :
tured TIE great Asolone positions.
Strategic Position Saved.
Immediately after the regaining of
the Solone heights the correspondent
found it possible to proceed to a want
age point slightly south and west Of
Grappa and almost due south of Aso
lone, which, at the time was being
viciously bombarded with shrapnel by
the enemy, who had lost it a few
hours before. Had the enemy been
able to hold it and capture Monte
Coston, between it and Monte Grappa.
which later is the enemy's objective,
as the completely dominating position
of the entire range, this key-postion
would have been seriously menaced.
Austro-G German Position Bad
Their rebuff at this important point,
however, keeps the Austro- German
forces not only at a considerable dis
tance from the plain they are seeking,
but makes their progress toward II
extremely difficult, now that the
weather conditions, unfavorable for
several days, are rapidly increasing in
severity While German shrapnel was
viciously peppering the lost .Asolone
heights, countless light and heavy
italian batteries, honeycombing and
dotting the two adjoining mountains
were hammering the enemy unceas-
ingly. Every path in the mountain
side disgorged troops working under
the so-called rotation system by which
the men in the first lines, after serv-
ing there for some days, fall back into
the reserve, being relieved by reserves
and then gradually working their way
forward to the first line again.
Troops Are Plentiful.
At many points lay piles of ammu'
milton and the way here and there
was almost impossible by reason OF
the batteries that were making their
ascent more slowly with their horse
power than the automobiles, Masses
of troops lay waiting to relieve the
first line fighters-troops obviously
cheerful, well fed and confident thai
the reconquest Of a great part Of the
Asolone positions had brought to 9
final halt the Austro-German progress
toward the plain.
The concentrations on the AsiagC
plateau and along the. lower Piave
while perhaps less numerous thar
those in the Grappa region, are ad
mittedly for the same purpose, &C
cording to the admissions of prison
ers, who say the condition of theil
troops is terrible and they must a
all costs secure line on the plair
and secure the Brenta and Piave val
leys so they will not have to endure
the winter In the mountains.