The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-02
.|TAL IAN MOUNTAIN COUNTRY WILL BE SCENE 0F OPERATION
It Is Thought That the Next Intensive Fighting Will
 Be Done in the North

INUI LiR
 Headquarters Italian Army, May 1. Correspondence of the Associated Press. >-Attention is now being cen tered on the mountain front, for all of the indications are that this Is to be the main scene of coming operat- tions. instead of the flat, river country to the east. With these operations, perhaps not far off it is well to take survey of this mountain section for its points are likely to be heard of very often in the coming months. Already along these mountain roads there is the stir of great forces of men, guns and horses moving into po- sition, and one almost feels that a great battle is already on.
 The Tridentine Alps,e which stretch across northern Italy, form a natural fcrtification between the two oppos- ing lines, and it is in the lower section of these ranges that the military oper- ations are now unfolding. While it Is a front oS several hundred miles from the Adriatic up to the Swiss frontier, vet part of this stretch is impene- trable mountain peaks covered with eternal snow, and there are practically only fine lines of approach where breaks in the mountain heights permit military operations to be carried on.
 These five lines of approach or com munieation through the Tridentine Alps are the valley regions known as the Valtellina, meaning see-saw from its winding character which leads down to Lake Como and toward Mi- Ian: second, the Val Camonica, lead ing southward toward Brescia: third, the Val Giudicaria, which comes down just east of the Adamello region with it's line of peaks and skirts along the west shore of Lake Garda; fourth, Val Lagarina which follows the course of the Adig river on the east of Lake Garda. and comes down from Trent toward Verona; and fifth. the Val Sugana, which follows the course of the Irenta river and winds around the Asiagc region down past Bassano.
 These five main highways through the mountains become more important from a military standpoint as they come eastward toward the Asiago and Brenta region. All the chief pressure has been in the easterly region in the past and the indications at present are that it will be in this region
 iHt 6tCdt 6iOdhdf ehCiis would be along the two valleys on the east, Val Lagarina and Val Sugana, and chief attention should be centered on them and their neighboring heights of Asiago, the Grappa and Mount Tom- ba. Both of them come down from Trent, the Austrian storm center which sends forward troops and supplies through both these valleys to the mountain fronts beyond. From Trent the enemy has railroads down both these valleys.
 The Lagarina valley comes straight south to Verona and the open plain. It was down here that the enemy made his first rush two years ago, pushing from Reverto west toward Mount Pasubio. He was driven back then, and all the indications are that he will be held again if he comes that way.
 The most important approach is by way of the Val Sugana, or Brenta river. From it's headwaters near Trent the Brenta makes a wide circuit before 1t comes down to the open plain at Bas- sano, and it is within this circuit that the Asiago plateau and the hardest fighting ground lies. The Austrian rail- way from Trent comes down the val ley to Primolano, about 20 miles above Bassano, thus keeping up steady flow of men and supplies. That is why the Italian 'airplanes have centered att tention on Primolano, which is often in the communiques as hav- ing it's railway stations bombed.
 The bomb swept and deserted town of Asiago is the center of this battle region enclosed by the Val Sugana and the Brenta river. The enemy lines run just below the town. Nearby are Mount Val Bella, Sasso Rosso and Melago, all the scene of desperate fighting when the enemy tried to come down the west bank of the Brenta. The river itself comes through a rocky defile, so part of the approach is over these inter- vening mountains which reach down to the river valley.
 This Asiago region is cut by two other local valleys. which are a most important part of the mountain opera tions though they are not main high ways through the Alps. These are the Valarsa and the Astico valleys, which wind irregularly down toward Vicenza. Much is likely to be heard of this sec tion in the coming operations.
 East of the Brenta river is another part of this same Val Sugana which is also desperate fighting ground. Here the enemy has made his main push to get down to the open plain, and here he advanced furthest, toward Bassano, yet the splendid bravery of the Italians held him in the mountains through the winter. He is still there, around Mount Pertico. Mount Asolone. Col Caprille and Col Della Berretta. This is bloody fighting ground and it will doubtless be heard from very often as the op- erations develop.
 Still further east comes the dominat- ing massive of Mount Grappa, midway between the Brenta and Piave rivers. It is strongly held by the Italians and is one of the great citadels of Italy's natural mountain defense. Near 1t, ris- ing from the Piave river, comes Mount Tomba where the French troops made such a brilliant drive last December. The enemy has been comparatively quiet in this region. all the indica tions being that he is centering atten- tion further west in the Asiago region and down the Brenta valley.
 This summarizes the mountain fight ing ground on the Italian front, where there is gathering activity and where it is believed the big fighting is going fo Occur