The Washington herald., 1918-01-08
FRONT
NEW CENTER
OF ACTIVITIES
War Office Reports Indicate
Preparations for Often I
sive in the North.

Special Cable to The Washington
Herald and New York Tribune. q
London, Jan. TAT some points
British patrols have forced the Piave
and caused alarm IN the enemy's
lines" This statement In the Official
communique issued by the italian
war office tonight is construed by
military critics here as forecasting
important developments on the Piave
front in the immediate future.
For several days the British units
have shown extraordinary activity
along the Middle Piave, time and
again making successful thrusts across
the river in cooperation with French
and italian fiiers and supported by
the concentrated fire of their own and
their allies batteries.
The wording of the Italian report
leaves IL uncertain whether British
troops now hold positions on the
eastern bank of the Piave, or wheth-
er the operations referred to consisted
merely Of raids into the enemy's lines
from which the British returned after
infiicting damage and taking prison.
ers.
Huns Not Ready.
While there has come an end to
the heavy snowstorms of last week.
the Teuton- armies on the northern
mountain front have by no means
escaped the peril which the block
ing of their main lines of communi-
cation presented. 1t is extremely
doubtful II they now are, or will
be within weeks, in position to
resume their campaign toward the
Venetian Plain.
This, 1t is believed, is the only way
the italian situation can be saved.
II the invaders are able to hold the
dominating positions they now occupy
between the Asiago Plateau and the
upper Piave during the coming weeks,
1t Is inevitable that when conditions
make possible the resumption OF their
major offensive In the north they
Will smash through to the plains and
compel the withdrawal of the Italian
line behind the Adige and the sur
render Of Venice. Treviso and Padua.
The Italians and their allies today
have the opportunity to strike the
enemy a hard. perhaps q disastrous,
blow. Tomorrow-that opportunity
may have vanished. The next, few
days should see Important Develop
-~--No 80 NAac ANI AAOuN- =
ItsiianE Take Prisoaers.
Rome reports increasing activity OIL
the northern front today. North Of
costalunga Austrian parties were
driven back and pursued by Italian
patrols, who captured prisoners.
On the Asiago Plateau, enemy
transports and troops on the march
were disorganized by the accurate fire
| OF the italian guns. Between the
Frenzela and Brenta valleys there
| were violent concentrations of artii-
lery fire, the statement says, and at
| other points, notably in the Lagarina
Valley and near Vidor, the French
| and British batteries achieved excel
LENT results against the enemy.
In Albania an enemy attack was
broken up, the communique adds.
Activity In Flanders.
Fighting activity in Flanders last
night and this morning assume con-
siderable proportions, the war Of
f1ce communication indicate at dawn
the Germans attempted a strong
raid against the British positions
southeast of Ypres which Field
Marshal Haig asserts was beaten
back with loss by rifle and machine
gun fire.
Later in the day violent artillery
duels developed on the salient east
I of Ypres, in the neighborhood of
Passchendaele, and in isolated seq
tors between the roads leading FROM
Arras and Peronne to Cambrai, Ber-
lin reports.
On the French front the troops
of the Crown Prince failed in an
attack on Petain's trenches north
Of Hill 304, on the left bank of the
Meuse. On the right bank Paris
reports artillery fighting of keen
intensity during the course of the
night in the region of Bezonvaux
and Chambrettes.