Gilpin observer., 1918-06-20
THRUST
ON pave FAILS
AUSTRIAN DEAD sTREW FIELDs
AS EFFORTS TO CROSS
RIVER COLLAPSE.
CLAIM MANY CAPT|VES
TEUToNIc DRIVE TOWARD VEN.
ICE WAN6s AND ITALIANS
MAKE GAINS.
Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Italian Army Headquarters, June 10.
approximately 100000 Austrians
have been hurled against the Italian
front. Losses which are described as
frightful have been inflicted upon the
Austrians in the areas where tue prin-
cipal fighting has taken place. But
the Austrian pincers are not closing
upon Italy with the precision of last
October, when they forced back the
Italian armies of Gen. Cadorna from
the Julian Alps to the Piave river,
and from the northern mountain re-
gions almost to the plains of Venetia.
In fact, they do not seem to bo clos
ing at all. The upper jaw in the We
netian Alps Is stalled under the re-
distance of the British, French and
Italian forces, and the neither one
seems to lack the force necessary to
bring 1t across the Piave river and
push back the Italian troops which
are clogging its path.
In the Alps the Austrians have been
unable further to advance their lines
since their initial onslaught last week.
Elsewhere from the Asiago plateau
sector eastward to the Piave river all
their attacks have quickly been re-
pulsed by the allied troops, who, in
their turn, have delivered counter at
tacks, regained lost terrain, inflicted
heavy casualties on the enemy and
taken a considerable number of pris-
oners.
All along the Piave river from the
mountain passes fierce fighting is 60
ing on, especially on the Montello pla-
teau, in the region of the famous Zen
son loop and further south from Fos-
salta to the marsh country around
Capo Sile, some twenty miles east of
Venice.
The Italian war office announces
that the enemy everywhere is being
held along the Piave. In the crucial
sector of the Montello plateau, which
bars the way from the northeast 70
the Venetian plains, the Italians have
strengthened their positions on the
northern edge of the plateau and re-
pulsed two enemy attacks to advance
on the northern border. Likewise to
the south, near Maserda and Candelul,
attempts by the Austrians to effect
new crossings of the Piave were frus-
trated with heavy losses.
The Austrian war office says the
number of prisoners taken in the fight
ing has increased to 10000, and that
120 guns. n'addition to mine throwers,
machine guns and war material, have
been captured.
The prisoners taken by the Italians
Monday at one point amounted to l.
$50, which would bring their total and
those Of the allies we'll in the neigh
borhood Of 5000.
Unofficial advices are to the effect
that the Austrians have thrown four
teen bridges across the Piave along a
front of about fourteen and half
miles, between the Zenson loop and
the Conegliano railway bridge, but that
the Italians are heavily engaging the
enemy at all points and have the pom
toons under their gunfire.
Several attempts by the Germans to
penetrate the American lines in the
Marne sector have been smashed by
the American machine gun fire.
While the gigantic Austrian attempt
to break through to the plains of Italy
has occupied the center of the stage,
events of importance may be taking
shape in the Somme battlefield. Heavy
firing by the German artillery in the
Ancre valley and northward to Serre
is reported by the British. 1t is on this
part of the front that a German attack
has been expected by the allies, and
the German bombardment may be the
prelude OF resumption Of the enemy's
offensive in France