Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-26
FACTS AND COMMENT

AS~ . v 1e ~ &>>SAt@svAA-ae . II
 Since the practice of sending night {, letters by telegraph has assumed the present proportions, the Western Union Telegraph company has adopted the custom of sending quantities of these messages by messenger instead of by wire and thereby has run afoul of the national government. The method has been to send large patches of these night letters by messengers on the midnight trains between such cities as Boston, New York, Philadelphia and The practice could be followed between any cities not more than six or seven hours apart, for the night letters would thus be delievered at the opening of business the next morning as promised by the telegraph company. Even though full fare was paid by the messengers, the profit to the company would be handsome; but inasmuch as 1t is understood that these travel on passes, theI scheme was proving regular bon- anza. For example hundred night letters from New York to Boston would amply pay the expense of a single messenger, especially if he travelled on a pass and more especial ly if he brought back a similar batch of messages on his return trip the following night. This practice while harmless is nevertheless in violation of the law that forbids any person or company other than the post office department to engage in the business of carrying communica- tlonS by the regular postal routes. AS a first step toward stopping the cus- tom, five messengers were recently ar rested as they stepped from the night trains on their arrival in New York, Boston and Washington. One of these had about a thousand messages for New York that had been filed at Wash ington Baltimore and Philadelphia. The Western Union claims that what ever may be the letter of the law. the spirit was not violated, inasmuch as the wires are overful these days with war business and the relief thus ob- tained is necessary to the continuation of the service to the public. It looks however as if the company was rather inclined to conceal it's methods inas- much as these train messages were lettered like regular telegrams. thus purporting to have been sent and re- ceived by regular operators in the reg ular way.
 The Austrian offensive that began June 15 with furious bombardment for 100 miles from Asiago to the sea has resulted in disastrous defeat for Austria. The battle line extends east ward from Lake Garda roughly ara1ell- ing the Austrian boundary until it reaches the Piave river, where it bends to the southeast around Monte
 Grappa, Monte Tomba and Montello and follows the river to the head of
 the Adriatic Sea. Just behind this embattled line lie the great industrial cities of Italy, Mantua, Verona, Vi- 'cenza Padua Treviso and Venice.
 Should the mountain line break, the
 troops on the Piave taken in the rear
 would be obliged to retreat and leave
 all this region to the invaders; should
 the river line break, the mountain troops would similarly be forced to
 retreat. The defenders must win on
 both fronts to save themselves from utter defeat; the invaders need win
 on only one front in order to score a sweeping victory It was this two to- one chance that induced Charles of Austria to threw everything he had at his command against the entire Italian line from Asiago to the sea. Along the mountains where the the greatest effort was put forth, the Austrfans met their quickest defeat l The Italians, their morale entirely re- 1 stored after tEeir disgraceful retreat | of last autumn. held absolutely fast 1 Not only this. but they actually gained a little ground, thus rendering this offensive unique among all the leu i ton efforts In all former attacks the offensive has gained considerable ground at first and has continued tC advance until the defensive reserves could be brought up. Along the Alps | however the British on the left ant l the Italians further east were absolut- ely immovable against 7590 guns and all the massed forces of Austria Hu- gary. Nine desperate assaults always with fresh reserves were repulsed or | Monte Grappa, alone, and not until 2 l third of their shock -troups had beer shot down and the ground was blacl with corpses. did the enemy cease iron
 the futile attempt to advance at al costs, and return to their original in trenchments.
 l On the river front the Austrian 1 gained some small initial successes Here they succeeded in crossing th, river and gaining a firm footing ol 1 Montello, piece of high ground jut ting up out of the lowlands and do minating tn country for a considerable l distance. A strong bridgehead wa
 established and fifteen pontoon bridge
 were thrown across the stream. Pro bably 40 900 men crossed to the Wes l,,l f11A rztTr Y, I | %Ia | strea1. three other crossings wer
 made Then followed days of a fierce fighting as has been witnesse' on Sany field of the entire war. IT, as they would the Austrians could no
 advance from the river. Again an again the Italians returned to the at tack Allied airmen including Ameri ] cans rained tons of bombs on com munications and concentrations o troops, and sprayed the advancing line
 with machine guns. Nature also cam to the aid of the valiant defenders for torrents of rain began to fall an
 the Piave was so swollen that tn
 bridges that were not shot to. piece
 by the Italian artillery went down wit
 the raging stream. Permanen
 bridges and pontoons alike all wen
 down to the sea and the Austrian
 who had forced their way across wer left with the river at their backs an
 the furious Italians before them. Sat
 urday night the retreat began and wit
 Sundays dawn this turned to utte . rout. While the Italian artillery cor
 centrated their fire on the river cross
 Iings, the infantry attacked all alon . | the line. The Montello plateau WE
 entirely cleared of enemy troops, tf whole position was reoecupied and a , the guns lost the week before the