Evening star., 1918-06-23

ent offensive AZ 10000. The text Of
the statement reads:
The hghting on the Piaye dimin-
ished In violence yesterday. Wherever
the Italians renewed their attacks, as,
tsllo and to the west Of San Dona,
they were repulsed with heavy losses.
as before"
Between June Is and 20 the enemy
lost forty-two airplanes, owing to
the activity Of our aviators and anti
aircraft guns He also lost four cap
tive balloons. The number of pris-
oners has increased to forty thou
sand strong. Among them are a few
Czecho-Slovak legionaries, who were
Immediately subjected to the treat
ment prescribed by martial law"
LONDON. June 22.-Germany has
German divisions to the Italian front
to replace twelve Austrian divisions
to be sent to France. says an uncon-
hrmed report in circulation in Hol-
land transmitted by the Daily Mail
correspondent at The Hague.
Austrians Unable to Advance.
By the Associated Press.
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN NORTHERN ITALY, June 22.-The
second week Of the great battle on the
italian front opens with the outstAnd-
ing fact that the Austrians are un-
able to 60 forward. Notwithstanding
seven days Of desperate struggling in
an attempt to strengthen their foot
hold on this side of the Piave river,
particularly on the Montello and at
San Dona df Piave. the enemy forces
have been held. Italian military OBJ
servers consider that the invaders
position Is such that he must aba andon
his attempt to obtain possession of
both banks of the Piave, just as he
was compelled to do last winter.
At present the Austrians on this
SIDE OF the Piave are fighting mainly
onets, as they have been unable to
bring heavy artillery across They,
therefore. are reduced to fightinx for
q Few hundred yards Of ground where
thera ne s'tuation h.ss1 always T. precarious to
their rear. The Austrians have been
Tor days on the defensive. the last
Italian counter attacks having given
the defenders the initiative.
IN regard to the losses during the
nrst week Of the great offensive, the
Italian military authorities say that
each side suffered approximately an
equal number Of casualties. The
Austrian claims. according to reports
found in possession of prisoners, were
that the Italians had sustained much
Great Loss for Little Gain,
By the Associated Press.
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS,
June 22.-An official communication
published by the Stefani Bureau
recognizes the first phase of the
battle as definitely ended, with the
enemy at positive disadvantage.
1t estimates the Austro- -Hungarian n
losses at 10000, and declares that IL
the enemy desires to obtain his OBJ
jectfves 1t will be necessary to begin
. new offensive, as thus far he has
not attained any essential position of
military value
The communication sets forth again
the objecttves which the Austrians had
nxed Tor their advance. and points out
that the idea that these objectiyes
could be won was due to the strange
conviction of the commanding generals
tnat the Italians would not fight.
The only result obtained" CON-
tinues the statement, was the disrup-
tion Of fifteen of their divisions in az
change for the advance on the Italian
lines at Gina di Rosso, whereas an
other thirty divisions barely gained
two and a half miles upon Monteilo
and the same distance at San Dona
Tor which they paid a terrible price !"