The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-03-04
snow and fog.

snow and fog.
 The last of the lines run almost to the front trenches, which are hcwn out of the rock but which in winter are generally showed in so that tn a troops embed themselves in snow trenches and live somewhat the life of the Esquimaux. At points the first positions run within thirty yard of those of the Austrians, and the warfare that is carried on is largely that of sniping and machine-gun in. terchange. It is Quieter than at any other part of the present Italian front.
 The Italians have little fear of the Austrians in the Mount Pasubio re- zion, because of the character of the Italian troops in this sector, who are among the finest in the Italian army
 The teleferico system does not date from the war but was in part installed beforehand, and was used for purely commercial purposes, to haul up supplies and food to the set dement's up in. the mountains. But with the beginning of the war, tho tremendous advantage of the aerial transportation lines were instantly recognized, and the existing lines were increased in number as fast as possible. both in the Mount Pasubio sector, at Mount Grappa, and else where.
 Important as 1t Is. however. 1t is but one factor in the tremendous defensive system that has held the .Auatrians in check for more than thirty months. The roads, those which already existed and those that nave been built out of the rocky tides of the moutains, are another .ery important feature, especially when one considers that on their dig zy curves the high-powered. specially constructed Italian camions can hau huge loads to an altitude of nor, than 5000 feet.
 Mules by the thousands have been
 imported from North and South America. Spain and elsewhere. and are especially valuable because IL. like the horses they seem to suffe. little if at all from the bitter weather, eat little and can go for long Dc, riods without the water that is so precious at great heights.
 Even dogs have been introduced as beasts of burden in the higher re gions because they are very sure footed and willing. The number of horses is negligible. most of them being Il cd lower down for altill gy And then there always remain man power which staggcrs upward wit. uncounted bundles of wood.
 The soldiers who hold the Mount Pasubio sector are a hardy lot, and the majority have been nesting in the comfortable little wooden bar .acks that dot the mountains fo. periods of from twelve to twenty months, because while furloughs ar, easy enough to get the transporta tion problems in Italy are so seriou that a man coming down into tn plains can get farther south to hif home only with difficulty.
 As compensation in part for the denied opportunity of getting home frequently and for not being able, for months on end, to enjoy the ordi- nary social intercourse of peace times, the men are comfortably housed and apparently well.fed. Many have been in America and speak Eng fish, and many more come from Pied mont and speak French as well as Italian.
 The heavy work. such as shoveline away the incessant snow, is now be- ing done by deserters who were sen tcnced to imprisonment after the German-Austrian drive. but who in many cases are put to work-and find it so distasteful that they have ,lmost unanimously applied for per mission to go into the front fighting
 ines again.