The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-07-12
Italians Convert the Austrian
Drive Into a Defeat and a
Disastrous Rout.
ENEMY LOSSES ARE $4,000
Germans Are Ready 10 Resume ofsen-
sive on West Front, but Allies Conf.
dent-von kuehlmann's Peace Talk
FlxxIe-6aker Asks postponement
Of Draft Limit Change.
BY EDWARD w. PickARD.

The grand offensive OF the Austrians
In Italy, failure almost from the
start, developed into defeat, and
then suddenly into a disastrous rout
last week. The hungry armies OF EN-
peror Charles, unable to advance
against the gallant Italians and their
allies, took advantage Of the sudden
subsistence Of the flood In the Pave
to retreat under cover of darkness. but
the dawn of Sunday revealed their
movements and General Diaz struck
swiftly. From the Montello to the sea
the Italian artillery poured murder
Gus fire into the throngs OF Austrians
who, abandoning their guns, were try
Ing to get across the river. Then the
infantry, and even the cavalry men.
were called into action and speedily
completed the rout. The Piave was
almost choked with the enemy's dead.
Within two days the Austrians had
aot only lost all the ground they
gained In their first rush, but had
been driven entirely across the river
to and In some cases beyond their for
mer lines. Their losses were con-
servativeiy estimated at $4,000 In
killed, wounded and prisoners In ad-
| dition the Italians captured great num-
bers Of guns and quantities Of NUM-
tons and equipment.
The Austrian rear guards fought
most stubbornly at the Monticello and
at the Zenson bend. those at the latter
place protecting the two remaining
permanent bridges between there and
the mouth of the river. The enemy
suffered severely from the work Of
new American aylators were con-
| spicuous.
All Italy celebrated the great vic
| tory and the overenthusiastic. there
as elsewhere, expected the Italian
army to follow II up by driving the
| Austrians out Of the country. But
| General Diaz IL too wise to fall into a
| trap similar to the one that caught
| the enemy. The Austrians have been
there long enough TO have organized a
| very klfbuS hflFHsIht llltfs anu A1ot e
over. the Germans were rushing troops
! TO their support all last week. Diaz
| did not fail to follow UP his sdyan.
tage In the mountain region. however
| for ii Is there that the next attack Is
expected. His troops improved their
positions very considerably, especial
| ly at Monte Grappa. the height that
| Is the key 10 the passage down TO the
plains between the Brents and tbs
Piave.
The crushing defeat OF the Aus
TRANS had an enormous moral effec'
In all the helllgerent countries. Ths
news caused profound depression II
| Austria and Germany that wat
contrasted by the jubilation In the al
lied nations. Italy said that all i
| now asks is the presence OF Amer:
| can troops on It's front, ard these
| presumably. are on the way If no
/ already there.
In the dual monarchy the, disastel
on the Piave only accentuated th'
serious internal conditions, 'furthe
/ encouraging the rebellious cZechs an'
! Slovaks and Slevs. and increasing th'
general demand for food and peace
/ The government has neither the on
| nor the other 70 offer. for both an
under the control Of Germany. TIT
! shirt OF revolution Is rife In Austrin
| Hungary. but note Of warning !
| sounded by French statesmen. who de
clare that the allies must not count oil
the success of a rebellion there. Tn
disafected peoples are separate an
without competent leadership an
ksstr.s's sIliss could easily lend Ia