The Arvada enterprise., 1918-10-24
italians Convert the Austrian
Drive Into a Defeat and a
Disastrous Rout.
ENEMY LOSSES ARE $4,000
Germans Are Ready to Rssums Often.
sive on West Front, but Allies Conf.
dsnt-von kushlmann's Psaes Talk
Fixris-0atsr Asks Postpensmsnt
q Draft Limit Change.
BY EDWARD VI. p,ckARo.


The grand offensive Of the Austrians
In Italy. a failure almost from the
start. developed into q 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 Piave
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 IRE into the thrOngs Of Austrians
who. abandoning their guns. were try.
Ing 10 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
not only lost all the ground they
Eained In their 'first rush, but had
been driven entirely across the river
to and 10 some cases beyond their for.
mef liaes. Their losses were con-
servatively estimated At 10000 In
killed. wounded and prisoners. In ad.
dillon the Italians captured great mum.
bses OF guns and quantities Of mum.
lions and equipment.
The Austrian rear guards fought
most stubb0ruly at the MOntelio 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
the allied air forces and 10 this the
new American aviators were con.
spicu0us.
All Italy celebrated the great vic.
tory and the overenthusIastic, there
a. elsewhere. expected the Italian
army to follow It up BY driving the
Austrians out OF the country. But
General Diaz 10 too wise to fall Into q
trap similar to the one that caught
the enemy. The Austrtnns have been
there long enough to have organised q
very strong defensive line. and more.
over. the Germans were rushing troops
to their support all last week. Diax
did not fail to follow up his advan.
tage 10 the mountain region. however,
for II 10 there that the next attack IL
expected. His troops improved their
positions very considerably. especial.
~ at Monte Grappa. the height that
10 the key to the passage down to the
plains between the Brenta and the
Piave.
80
The crushing defeat Of the Aus.
trims Ind nm enormous moral effect
In nil the bellIEerrnt countries. The
news caused profound depression In
Austria and Germany that was
cOntrnsted by the jubllntion In the al.
lied nations. Italy said thHt all Il
now asks Ia the presence Of Amer..
cnn troops on Its front. nnd these.
presumably. arr on the why II not
already there.
In the dual monarchy the disaster
On the Pinve only ncccntuutcd the
serious Internal conditions. further
encouraging the rebcillous Czcchs and
Siovaks and Slnvs. md increasing the
general demand for food and peace.
The government has neither the one
Dor the other to offer. for both are
under the control Of Germany. The
ariht of revolution 10 rife In Austria.
Hungary. but 4 note Of warning 10
sounded BY French statesmen. who de.
clare that the allies must not count on
the success 1t rebellion there. TIE
disaaectsd PEOPLES sre separate and
without competent leadesship and
Auoesaa's aulse coald easily Lead the