New-York tribune., 1918-06-18
prestige
By Brilliant Fighting
Italians Drive Back
Austyiar7s Over Piaue
by The Associated Press J

WITH THE ITALIAN ARMY, June
16-Austrian troops which forced the
Piave River have been driven back.
The fighting along the river is most
intense.
Nowhere else along the front of
attack has the struggle been SO severe
as on the Pave line.
One of the most brilliant of the
Italian actions was the defence of the
Monte Moschin salient protecting the
important Brenta positions. Here the
Aus ustrians suffered heavy losses. Many
of their machine guns were captured
The prisoners are ragged and ill-fed.
| Many of them are undersized youths.
One of them remarked to the cor
respondent that he had no interest in
the war.
The feeling of the Italians is buoy
ant. At army headquarters satisfac-
ton is felt over the situation on every
part of the front.
lery corps in the Monte Grappa region
expressed this feeling to the corre-
spondent.
"Now send us only four divisions of
Americans" the general added 1--WE
will first shake hands and then travel
together into Austria"
The severity of the fighting on Monte
Grappa may be understood from the
fact that the Italian artillery fred
| 10000 shells in twelve hours.
AS che nrst phase OF the battle un-
gaglng all the forces possible, al
though the exact number of the divi-
sions in action is as yet unknown.
ltaly's soldiers are fighting on their
own SOIL aided by English and French
troops. All are in the best spirits and
making supreme sacrifices to prevent
the enemy from obtaining the advan-
tage which is supposed to belong to
an army launching an offensive.
The uneaslness preceding the often
sive was dissipated, followed by salts
faction, by the Austrian action in the
Tonale district, which was intended to
block any efforts of the Italians to
threaten their rear, and possibly cut
the single railway line leading from
Austria into the Italian Alps. 1t ap-
pears that the Austrians had been pre-
pairing the railway most carefully, so
that auto trucks could carry forward
troops and munitions over it.
One evidence of the preparation for
the drive has been found in the large
number Of all boats built for night
raids across ohe Piave. An immense
quantity of gas bombs had been pre-
pared. These were of different kinds,
some with invisible and some with col
ored gases. They were loaded upon
auto trucks, which the Italians so eff
fectively shelled that the gas explod-
ed within the enemy lines. During the
afternoon preceding the initial attack
the Italians succeeded in blowing up
dozens of such auto trucks and many
portable bridges.
In the evening, while it was still
light, the Italians vigorously shelled
the Austrian lines, forestalling the Of
fensive at many points.
The use of gas bombs about Mont
Asalone, Mont Tomba and Mont Crap
pa was such that the fumes obscured
daylight, floated like white clouds about
the mountain tops and filled the val
eys.
An example of the use made by the
Austrians of their long distance guns
was shown in the bombardment Of Tre-
viso, from which all inhabitants were
removed two months ago during air
raids. The correspondent has just
seen this little city. Its churches and
hospitals were then crumbling under
cpemy shells which were dropping by
hundreds. On this subject B. Harvey
Carroll, jr., the American Consul at
Venice, said:
"The Austrians are fit understudies
Of the Germans. They dearly love to
lombard cities and churches, but give
them hospital and they are de-
Iiohfed, ,,