The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-11
pIsAFFEcTIoN IN AusTRIA.

given in a communique published in the Vienna news
papers July 81 explaining the disaster on the Pave
Although the Austrian authorities evidently believed that
they might modify public opinion by making it appear
that the army had been betrayed rather than Outfough
the fact remains that the communque in question openly
admits that the Czechs in the Austrian army are full Of
the spirit of revolt 1t was due to information fur
nished to the Italian military command by Czech SOL
ders in the Austrian ranks that the disaster on the Pave
was brought about according to the Vienna report The
communique begins:
On the morning Of the 18th our attack began on
broad front, reaching from the Tyrolese noun
tans to the Adratic. The force with which the
attack was made could only be attained by com
mand which was perfected in every detail by alb
soute punctuaty, and by all parts of the attack
ing forces acting in perfect unison. But as soon
as the fighting started it was noticeable that the
enemy was very well prepared for counter attacks
on just those spots that had been fixed upon for our
advance 1t was also ascertained that the enemy
had exact information regarding the plans of our
attack. The surprise necessary for the success of
an offensive had thus been frustrated In a short
time it was also possible to prove that number of
deserters had furnished the Italian command with
the necessary material, from which, by comparing
and suppementing, they were able to gain fairly
accurate idea of plans of attack.
The communque then rectes at length the steps taken
to verify the suspicion that Czechs had revealed the
prisoners agreed it is stated that the Italian army
informed on July Ia that the Austrian offensive was to
start at a. M on July 15 The Italians at once made
preparations gas attack One of the Bersaglier
battaons was raised from 72 to 240 cartridges for each
man. The Pinerole brigade ready to fight at a.
An order dated the evening of July IA taken from
prisoner, which read According to information
ceived it that the enemy intends opening fire pre-
paraory an attack in the early hours of July IT, At
midnight hot coffee and in of need, also tin of
meat will be given out. Alarm will be given for the
troops the 18th at 1 a. The troops to remain
awake
masks"
The Austrian communique then complains that the
Italian military command has been ndefatigabe in urg
ing Czechs to join the CzechoSovak legion fighting
against Austria on the Italian front The Czechs it is
admitted have gone to the italian side in large
bers Two instances then given of Czech soldiers de-
sertng and giving information to the Italians One of
them, Rudolf Paprikar of the machine gun unit of
Schutzen regiment, jumped into the Piave and swan
across at risk Of his life. "He revealed POSITIONS the
strength and dispositions on his section. He also
vealed plans for our crossing the Pave" On another
soldier, the Austrian communique says:
The main share in these revelations the Italian
military command has reason in ascribing to Lieut..
Karl Stiny, of infantry regiment, who deserted
near Noventa. The bulky Italian document in which
his statements have been collected tells how he
pletely revealed our preparations the Pave be-
sides giving the enemy much other information of
the greatest Importance. The official Italian de-
scrption of Stiny is follows: "The lieutenant is
a highly intelligent young Czech, full of high
of nationality an dively ant-Austrian feeling, His
statements appear to be absolutely trustworthy Be-
fore deserving he purposely collected much nforma-
ton for US He inspires thorough confidence"
Stny, who possessed technical knowledge, sysemat-
cay and carefully collected all facts which APP
peared to him of value. His description of the prep
aration of the offensive is SO thorough and we'll
thought out that it gave very accurate idea of our
offensive.
If these were isolated the incident would hardly
be worth recording But they merely typical Rou-
manian Transyvanans by the thousands deserted to the
Russians The CzechoSovaks making such glorious
history in Russia all deserters from the Austrian
army where they had been compelled to fight to rve
their chains. One entire regiment consumed only
eight days in the trip from its home base in Bohemia to
safe refuge in the Russian lines and the boys wrote
back that their only regret that they could not