Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-06-19
MUST FOLLOW AS THE NIGHT THE DAY: THOU Cal
WALHALIA SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, 10,
AUSTRIAN START BIG DRIVE.
The Advances Have Been Slight
Both Sides Report Prisoners.


Italian Headquarters, in Northern
Italy, June 16.-''Hold at any cost!"
is the word that has been passed to
the Italian troops as the Austrian
offensive appears to develop all along
the line Of III miles with the use of
gas and special liquid bombs and
every other means Of attack to
| weaken the offensive.
The long comparative silence of
the Austrians was broken precisely
at 3.O5 o'clock Saturday morning by
| violent cannonade, the sounds of
which reached the cities Of Verona,
Vfcenza and Venice, all long distances
from the front.
The exact geographic objectives of
the Austrians as yet are conjectural.
Summing up the situation, it seems
| to be renewal Of the battle of Italy's
Alps which was left off last Novem-
| ber with the keys to the mightiest
| fortresses of Europe held by the Ital-
ians, who have spent the entire win
ter fortifying with extraordinary care
Val Stagna, Monte Grappa, Monte
Tomba and other positions.
Italians Regain Lost Positions.
Rome, June 16.-A battle of great
violence, in which large masses of
infantry are being used by the
Austrians in an attempt to break
through the Italian lines, particular
| ly In the eastern sector Of Asiago
plateau, in the Brenta Valley and on
Monte Grappa, Is described In the Of
ficial report from Italian headquar-
ters to-day. The enemys attacks
were met in the advanced defensive
area.
At many points the Italians fore
stalled the offensive. Nowhere has
there been any surprise Of the Ital-
ians by the enemy.
Italian forces are firmly holding
the Asiago front. They have COM
pletely reoccupied their original po-
sitions on Asolone and Monte Sola-
enemy who crossed the Piave.
Austrians Made Some Gains.
New York, June 17.-Although the
situation along the great crescent
| shaped battle line in Northern Italy
remains somewhat obscure, it seems
that the Austrians have accomplished
little at the inception Of their drive
against the Italian and allied armies
| From the lower Piave river and
! northward along that stream come
| encouraging reports telling Of the
enemy being checked and at some
points being hurled back across the
stream
From the Piave to the Brenta,
where the Teutons advanced through
mountain ravines in their attempts to
| break through the allied lines, the
situation seems to be we'll in hand.
Piave Crossed at Three Points.
1t now appears that the Austrians
made three successful attempts to
| cross the Piave. At least some of
these forces have been driven back
across the river, while the others
| have not been able to develop any
advantage from their early success.
Vienna claims the Austrians have
| captured $4,000 prisoners and fifty
guns. Rome claims the Italians have
captured over 4,500 Austrians.
Reports Of the battle show that the
tactics followed by the Austrians
were similar to those which brought
success to the Germans in the
Somme and Aisne offensives. The
enemy advanced under cover of a
smoke apparatus, In comparatively
small parties. These were directed
| against portions Of the line believed
| to be lightly held. In France the
| Germans succeeded by this method
IN gaining the rear Of strongly held
portions of the line which had to be
evacuated quickly by the allies.
Along the Italian front, however, the
foe was not able to penetrate far
into the allied positions and counter
attacks soon drove him back to his
lines.
Result Still in Balance.
The result Is as yet in the balance.
SO far German troops are reported
only in one sector on the mountain
'front.', hut 1t is not improbable that
they Will be dispatched to aid the
Austrians If they can be spared along
the French front. Furious fighting
is said to be continuing, and it is
probable that harder blows will be
launched by the enemy. The fact,
however, that the first onset did not
result in virtual debacle such as
ensued when the Germans and Aus
trians attacked along the IsonZo last
october speaks volumes for the Ital-
ian morale, and late reports give rea-
son for belief that the blow at italy
Is not being launched with the force
that has characterized the offensive
OF the Germans in France during the
last three months.
Drive Has Been Sharply Checked.
Washington, June 17.-With prac-
tically all official and unofficial re-
ports to-day indicating that the Aus
trian drive in Italy has been sharply
checked by the reorganized Italian
army and the British and French
unit supporting 1t. officers here dis
cussed the situation with an increas-
ing air Of optimism.
In some quarters 1t Is believed
these operations may have q decided
effect upon the situation on the