Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
Major 0ffensives of Auxtro- Germans
Less Liable to Sue
coed.
BRITISH NOW IN DANGER
Withdrawal of Slav Forces in Near
East Might Force Retirement on
Tigris-Situation on
West Front.

the rave have the Italian positions
been stronger and in the meantime the
! French and British forces dispatched to
| this region have increased this defen-
sive power. After many weeks delay
| winter has become of genuine assist
ahce 10 the Italians. Dfspa tches from
| switzerland Indicate that the Germans
and Austrians are having extreme diff
| Guilty in maintaining their lines of COM
| munication because of the snow, while
whole units OF troops were cut OF for
food.
Though undoubtedly having delayed
any proposed immediate offensive en-
deavor by the Austro-Gerraan armies
drives which, 1t may be stated now with
some joy. are not feared--chief pleas
ure comes to entente capitals in the
fact that the allies, because of less fire.
quent enemy attacks. will be enabled to
stu further strengthen their present
| line. During the early days of the So
called battle of the Piave there was a
big question as to whether the Ital-
ians could prepare sufficiently effective
defensive positions to repel the enemy.
At no 5uncture, save in the past ten
days or two weeks, have these defen-
| sive positions been deemed in any wise
impregnab1e.
With lull in major activities the
allied forces on the italian front will
be able to bolster up their line at ali
points. and when the weather becomes
more propitious for offensive endeavors
the Teutops will have an infinitely
harder task than would be the case
were they to continue their drives at
the present moment. Time and snow
now are playing on the side of the al
lies for the first time on this front, and
there are Just grounds for the belief
that the Austro-German armies never
Twill reach their desired goal.
Another contingency must be con-
sidered in discussing the italian stu
alton. Should the allied positions be
sufficiently prepared there is extreme
likelihood that an offensive designed to
drive the Teutons from Italy may be
attempted during the early days of
spring.
The Italian armies have delivered
many counter attacks against the enc
my in recent
French Score weeks, but these
Striking Success. ordefensivs chara
acter. Such was not the case with the
French. who during the first of last
week ushered in a drive in the Monte
Tomba region, where on a front Of two
miles they regained many important
positions, took over a thousand Teu-
tonic prisoners, seven large guns and
fully sixty machine guns. The French
victory was clear cut. The Austrians
were outmatched from the point of
strategy and courage by the trained
forces from the western front. The
Austrians have made faint-hearted eff
forts to regain their lost ground, but
these have failed.
The other big success. from a strictly
military standpoint, was the Italian eff
fort in the region of the Zenson bridge
head. where they drove the Austrians
to the eastern bank OF the river. The
Austrians had held this position on the
west bank ever since the Italians took
their stand on the Piave. and it was the
only thorn in the Italian side during
gle. The Italians kept hammering the
enemy. however. and eventually the
Austrians were forced to retire.
Though major military operations
mans are conducting a series of air
raids on unprotected towns in Italy.
Vicenza. Bassano. .Castelfranco. Tre-
viso and Padua have been the targets
of enemy bombs. and in the latter city
great damage to art treasures and
churches has been done. Many persons
have been killed and injured.
II there ever WAS any doubt as to the
solidity of the Italian people in regard
to the war. this has been completely re-
moved. There has been a marked out
burst of indignation all over Italy over
the enemy air raids. for whenever the
nations historic art treasures have
been menAced by any hand, the nation,
history shows. has arisen en- masse and
struck the enemy Consequently 1t
may be seen that the present aerial
policy of the Austro- Germans gains
nothing from a military standpoint and
only works to unite Italy. once fruitful
field for Teutontc propaganda, against
the central powers.