Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-28
IMPORTANT ADVANCE
MADE BY ITALIANS III
= MONTE GRAPPA AREA
Considerable Ground and
1900 Prisoners Taken in
Mountain Drive Rising
Pave flinders Pursuit Of Foe

LONDON, June 26.-The Italians have
scored an important success in their
northern counter offensive, it was
Learned Autboritatively today.
In the Grappa sector. southwest of
Monte Asolone. they advanced mile.
NEW YORK, June &c Summary Of
European Cables to the Associated
Press Now that the Piave line is
again intact, the Italians have begun
operations on the mountain front look
ing to the further Improvement of the
positions there. On the northwestern
slopes of Monte Grappa. between the
Brenta and the Piave, the Italians have
gained considerable ground and taken
more than 1,3OU prisoners.
Italian attacks on the mountain front
probably are for the purpose of fore
stalling any. intended enemy effort
there. as well as to improve the Italian
positions Strong raids are being car
ried out also on the Asiago pla,eau.
Key Position
The Italian gain on Monte Grappa,
however, is most in portrait as the
mountain is the key position to the ter
rain between the Brenta and the Piave
and dominates the hills southwark to
the Venetian plain. 1t was on this
height that the Austrians met with
failure in their attempts ten days ago
to reach the plain from the nCrth.
In completing the recapture of the
western bank of the Piave, the Italians
added 1000 prisoners to the already
large numbers taken from the enemy.
While the sudden rise of the river dis
tressed the Austrians who had crossed
to the western bank, the riN er fell dur
ing the enemy retreat, but again has
risen, hampering the italian pursuit on
the eastern bank. Apparently, the Ital-
ians have been content to hold to strong
bridgeheads on the eastern bank rather
than to attempt to pursue the enemy
any distance eastward. .
Say Italians Have Lost $50, 600
Vienna officially places the Italian
losses at 10000, including $4,000 pris-
oners. 1t admits the retirement across
the Piave from MonteIlo to the Adri-
attic bus intimates that the Italians did
not press the retiring Austrians very
closely. In their efforts on the noun
tain front, it is added, the Italians were
repulsed completely.
Raiding operations continue on the
front from Switzerland to the sea, es-
peclally between pres ana .RnelinS,
where further heavy fighting undoubt-
eddy will take place. German soldiers
are reported as being depressed over the
Austrian defeat and it is held in some
allied quarters that Germany may
make a strong effort almost immediate
ly in order to keep up the German and
Austrian morale behind the lines.
Germany Despairs of Victory
Apparently, Germany has given up
of battle, if the speech of Foreign Sec
rotary Won Kuehlmann is. an Indication
He declared that peace must come
through negotiation and said that the
appearance on European fronts of SOL
diers from overseas had made this nee
cssary. The secretary could give no
idea of when the war would end. His
effort was received coldly by the reichs-
tag. -.s
The official view in Washington was
that the speech was peace move, and
that Germany now invites proposals
from the entente. 1t is felt that the
move is similar to others which have
followed German or Austrian failures
to bring quick decision in the field.
On the other hand. Germany still
moves forward in her conquest of RUS
STA 1t is reported that 5000 German
troops have been landed at Poti'
trans Caucasian port on the Black sea,
which has rail connections with the i'm
portant centers of Tiflis, Batun1 and
Baku. Batum is in the hands of the