The sun., 1918-11-03
Fighting to Send Herd Of De-
moralized and Routed Men .
Back Into Austria.
RUINED TOWNS IN WAKE
Sorrowful Scenes in Villages
Liberated by Allies Swift
Advance.

ssecioi Gable Despofch TO Tar suS from the
London Times Serrice.


Copyright. 1915; all rokts restrred.
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS, oct. 81 (de-
layed) lit Is the end. There may be
resistance by rear guards to salve some
thing from their military stores and to
save somewhat OF the honor OF the regi-
ments. but the Austro- Hungarian army
has fought it's last battle and lost. When
IL passes Its own frontiers IL may per-
hapc turn and stand at bay. but 1t is
bis perhaps At present II Is in full re-
treat.
The Austrian armies on the Venetian
plains probably by this time are sepa-
rated from those in the Trentino. Flies
are visible far beyond the Asiago pla-
teau and retirement beyond the Asiago
means there must soon be a retirement
from the mountains northwest Of
Areiere. Such a retirement means the
eventual exposure OF Roverto and other
unredeemed towns. The Trentino move
ment here will be slower than on the
eastern plains, where the Austrians are
| going so fast 1t is difficult to keep up
! with them
The truth Is that in the eastern sec
| ton there 10 hardly any strategic situ-
alton II Ia race for the Tagliamento
IN which the Austrians got a start. Just
az II soon will be unless an armistice
intervenes a race Cor the Isonzo. in
which the Austrians possibly have a
smaller start
The object OF the Italian army is a
definite one. 1t would be a mistake to
think chat following the Austrans at a
period when they apparently are suing
y Tor unconditional. peace was rather su-
perhuously pursuing. a man about to
drop dead.
Wooid Make Retreat a Rout.
The aim of the Italian forces Is to ha "a So
the hying enemy SO closely SO Is TO get as
L seon as possible his chief centres OF
i provision. to rush him out Of Belluno
and Portoguraro so fast that his retreat
will become n rout with his roads OF
escape damned with hundreds OF aban-
doned guns and thousands of Iorries
and carts. To pass beyond these OBJ
~ structions his soldiers may have to
| abandon their trench mortars and ma
chine guns. Out of all this confusion
there may finally be erupted on Aus:
trian soil only a herd Of defenoeless and
4 demoralized men. Then, indeed, the
III war will be finished here
III crossed the Piave with delighted
artillerymen, who when they reached
the opposite bank, did not so much. as
| cheer as they turned around and grinned
! happily at each other Each man turned
with huge smile Of complete sa;isfac-
i tion to the comrade behind. "Partenza
| par Udine" (We are on the way to the
Udine) he shouted. One whistled like
4 train about to start. -
~ At the village of Susegana ] met firs
: IA group of three refugees. They .hat
[. I spent the last few days in cellars hiding
from the bombardment. Susegana now
looks with it's wrecked houses, like 6
\ heap Of discarded orange peel Some o.
sthe Inhabitants had live herds. Three
met were barefoot others were in rags
II made a sad picture all around wer,
wrecked houses and shelled trees.
did you know the Austrians wer,
going to nee?" i asked. Yes. they'v,
been preparing to 60 for some time
Il They used to say they were only waiting
, for the Italian offensive TO drive II bacl
/ 70 the river and then cross and captur,
Z the army, but that was months ago
, When the guns began the bombardmen
bne OF their officers who was left il
charge OF q post near our refuge sal,
IT'S the offensive, we must be on The.
went that night"
i Beautiful Conesliano in Ruins.
b At Conegliano one comes into co
n minion of shame and sorrow. 1t wa
IN beautiful town, but it's houses ant
Athe inhabitants speak things that d
Aaot become category and honorable war
are. The syndic of the town hiinsel
Explained to me that the Germans i'm
fkNsdiately after arrival year ago wen
- Tito the houses, put In infiammable ma
Ikriais sprinkled petrol on them an
Efhen threw on candles, and we wer
uIot allowed to do anything but watch.
vIhe next day the houses were smok
.Ng ruins and the Germans photogra phe
~. them. grinning as they did 1t. After
,n ward in other parts OF the occupie
.,~yterritory they circulated postcards C
ca the scene entitled "Wanton damage |
ca kE Italian town ordered by the Italia
Generals and the italian Government,
~ They showed these cards to the ir
hs abitants Other houses which appeare
INTACT were stripped OF everything.
Eygreat number had no floors
~ The syndic told worse things than IL
5truction of buildings. One hesitate
70 tell all the evil: much Of 1t hun
Ike a colrd over the women. The HUI
garians used to come into houses an
III tell mothers they wanted their daugl
u ters They would take ladders and II
Al unshamedly to enter houses at nigh
Many times this was confirmed.
~ had many witnesses, honest girls WI
were forced 10 take refuge on the roo
~ on winter nights TO escape their to
4 mentors.
Bestiality of this character toe
another form when the Hungarians ca
tured four brave soldiers of the II
hemian army. They shot and hang,
4. them, which first was not clear b
"a they were hanged to trees in all avenu
OF the town. Papers branding them
4 traitors were pinned to the breasts
d the blood covered corpses and they We
III exposed three days as lesson. it W
Vi said, 10 the inhabitants. The wom
b IN and children had to pass them as tn
went to their daily duties.
German General Gives Warning
I read an order by the German cor
j mander. Gen. Won Below. designed
calm any resentment. IT said any "a
Gression" by the civilian populati
against German troops would he pu
ished with death, especially II 1t W
armed aggression
Yesterday the people of Conegia
forgot all these evil DAYS. Bersagli'
was greeted with rousing cheers a
splendid women flung out their arr
~ and shouted welcome.
VI At vittorio the scene was extraort
nary. There were Austrian guns
the entrance to Seravalle Pass. 81
III the commander went into the outski
VI of the town. could see wildly en-
N fIonal welcomes and waving tricolt
IA IN the same street from which l cot
IA hear the bullets tear past overhe;
m The arditi singing choruses were
n ing out of town TO surround these gu
III yittorio. declared they were going ba
49,,