Evening star., 1918-05-20
ITALIANS AND ALLIES
IN BEST Of CONDITION
Winter Months Utilized In
Strengthening Defenses and
Reinforcing Lines.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
HEADQUARTERS ITALIAN ARMY,
April 3o.-The Italian and allied
the best of condition. The winter
months have been utilized in
Strengthening the defenses and REIN
forcing lines of works, until the
whole region is interlaced with pow
erful systems of defense and attack.
There are vast stores of guns and
ammunition, and the spirit of the m en-
is one of confidence and eagerness for
an approaching conflict in the noun
tain regions
Gen. Plummer. commander of the
British forces. recently announced
their establishment in new position
and Gen. Diaz's bulletins now rerer 10
the operations Of the British forces in
that mountain region. The French.
too. who made their brilliant stroke
In Mount Tomba, are also in this
mountain region.
1t is here that three Austrian ar
mics. under Field Marshal Conrad Won
Hertzendorf, H are in position-the 10th
Army. 11th Army and what is known
as the Kraus Army. under Gen. Kraus.
These armies comprise in tho neigh
borhood of forty divisions, besides
several divisions Of reserves: while
on the Piave front the Austrian COM
mander. Boroevich. has about fifteen
divisions and some reserves. The di-
visions on the north recently have
brought from Austria's sections Of
the Russian and Rumanian fronts.
which no longer need her attention.
This enemy concentration has been
going on steadily for months. and the
Italian and allied forces have also
made powerful preparations for the
coming campaign.
The main cause for this shifting
OF attention from the Piave to the
mountain line is of strategic char
main branches. one running north
ward from the Adriatic at a point
twelve miles east of Venice; and the
other turning westward across the
mountain regions and running irreg-
ularly up to the Swiss frontier. When
the enemy made his rush last fall
the first pressure was felt along the
Piave as the enemy swept In from
the east. But later. when the Ital-
ians threw the enemy into the river
solid defense Of the river line, the
enemy turned his attention to the
north and began pressing down from
the mountains.
brought to the Piave line were gradu-
oily withdrawn to the mountain line.
Won Bellows German divisions were
among those shifted from the Piave
to the mountains. before Won Below
went to the French front. The Brit
ish reinforcements. which first took
position on the upper Piave at Mon
tello. soon observed that the enemy
artillery had slackened of to almost
nothing, and that the enemy positions
on the east bank were apparently
deserted. The British made many
raids across the river. but met little
pect this would permit an advance by
the Italians and their allies eastward
into the region invaded by the enemy
but held by them with reduced forces.
It was evident. however, that the
enemy's inactivity on the Piaye was
part of strategic plan. by which
his massing OF forces on the north
would not only permit him to make
but would also give him q position
en- the Italian left flank in case Of
an Italian advance across the Piave
into the invaded region. He was will
ing. therefore, to leave the Piave
with comparatively light forces. and
concentrate most Of his strength in
tho mountains.