Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-06-17

Washington, June 17.-An Of
ficiaI dispatch from Rome, dated
11.55 o'clock last night. says the
battle on the Italian front Will
assume GiSnntic proportions, the
Austrians attempting to break
down the Italian defense by
great pincer movement. 1t adds
that the battle will last several
days before a decision is reached.
Rome, Sunday. June 16.-The situ-
uation on the Italian front in it's en-
tirety seems very reassuring, declares
a semi-offIcial note tonight. 1t says
the great battle which broke out Sat-
urday has only begun. Although
having a strength of sixty divisions,
the enemy has not succeeded in pass
ing the Italian advanced area at any
point.
The enemy based his enterprise on
various factors to assure him a vic
tory, says the semi official note.
There was a relatively brief but eX-
tremely violent artillery preparation
with a large number Of gas shells.
intended to destroy the Italian front
line and paralyze the Italian artil-
lery.
Then under cover of an artificial
lOS from pOIHDs dnu SIHOhG dppdId-
tus, the enemy advanced in open
formation. He placed such faith in
this preparation that he fixed his OBJ
jectives for the first days fighting
more than fifteen kilometers in ad-
vance and planned to descend from
the mountain area and also reach the
city OF Treviso from the Piave river.
Italian Fire Is Heavy
The enemy's bombardment was
frustrated by the formidable fire
from the Italian artillery, which de-
stroyed lines and shelters and made
full hits on massed troops, as well
as drenched his battle emplacements
with gas. When the enemy infantry
advanced into the front-line zones
they found that resistance had been
prepared for by the italian machine
guns and had to meet a counter
attack from the italian supporting
troops. This resulted in the loss of
great part of the advantage he
had gained and he left prisoners and
machine guns in the hands of the
Italians.
This is what happened to the Aus
trians along the whole front of the
attack. North of Cesuna an advance
group of British, which had been
passed and surrounded by the Aus
trians, resisted until a counterattac&
freed them and at the same time cap
tured 200 prisoners. southwest or
Neunar the French recaptured a
strong point and took 1S5 prisoners.
South of Montello the enemy
crossed the Piave with considerable
forces, but is being gradually pushed
towards the river by the Italian re-
action. On the Lower Piave the enc
my passed the river between Candelu
and Zenson Loop, in the region of
S Dona di Piave. The enemy was
Immediately checked and driven back
by counterattack to the back of the
river. One thousand. five hundred
and forty-five prisoners, including a
colonel, two majors and forty-two
other officers. were made prisoner by
the Third Army.
Italy Confident
Altogether. 5000 prisoners, includ-
ing eighty-nine officers, were taken
by the Italians and their allies in
the first day of the struggle, which
was to have been a great success for
the Austrians. but which resulted in
a dismal failure.
The Italian army was prepared for
the Austrian attack and there is con-
fidence it will be able to break the
force of the blow.
Throughout the country there is a
feeling of tense expectancy. The
grave. solemn faces of the people are
expressive of the seriousness of the
hour but also of the pride which is
felt in the army for it's splendid
stand all along the difficult battle
front The churches were more
crowded than usual to-day, throngs
of women praying for victory and for
the safety of those at the front.
Many brought jewels as offerings.
Look For Felnt
1t is believed the Austrian general
attack is a repetition of the enemy's
maneuver of last October. when he
took the offensive from Caporetto to
Monfalcone with the intention of dis
guising his main plan of breaking
through the Alps and forcing the
Italians to retire in the Bainsizza and
Carso regions. Now the enemy's
feint apparently is intended to con-
ceal the development of a plan long
cherished by Field Marshal Conrad
Won Hoetzendorf to break through
from the high Asiago plateau to the
Venetian plain, thus obliging the
Italian army along the Piave to re-
tire in order to avoid being caught