The Ordway new era., 1918-06-21
ALLIED LINE BLOCKS HEAVY
BLOWS AFTER FRONT POSI-
TioNs ARE WON.
.pIAvE RIVER CROSSED
CAPTURE OF 10000 PRISONERS
REPoRTED-DATTLE IN
FRANCE QUIET.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, June 1.-THE Italian and allied
armies are brav1ly sustaining the
weight of the Austrian forces which
are attacking along the front OF the
Italian theater from the northwest OF
the Asiago plateau eastward to the
Piave river and thence along that
stream to whore 1t joins the head
waters of the Adriatic sea, front OF
nearly 100 miles.
The Austrial5, having made exten-
sive preparations for the drive by
bringing up strong reiaforcements IN
men and guns, many OF them coming
from the former battle line in Ru-
mania and Galicia as result Of the
debacle in the east. is using them
without stint IN tie effort to debouch
from the mountain paSses and cross
the Piave river and gain the Vene-
tian Plains. Everywhere the fighting
In of an extremely sanguinary charac-
ter, especially cast of the AsiaSo pla-
teau, in the Brenta valley and on
Monte Grappa.
In the initial struggle the enemy
line positions in the mountain region
from the Britich. and also in crossing
the Piave Counter attacks, however,
have restored all the positions in the
mountains, including territory to
depth of 1000 yards along a $3.50
yard front captured from the British.
At last accounts the allied troops
everywhere we strongly holding the
enemy and King Victor Emmanuel's
men were gall ntly striving to throw
back the invaders across the Piave.
The Italians have taken more than
5000 Austrian prisoners, among them
eighty-nine officers.
As yet the Vienna war office has CIV
en- only brief mention to the battle
saying that the Austrian armies had
invade the Sette Comuni plateau, ly-
ing at an altitude of 3.400 feet north
west of Asiago, and that up to noon
Sunday more than 10000 Italian Eng
lish and French soldiers and a consid-
erable number of guns had been cap
tured ~
With the commencement of the long
expected Austrian offensive, the fight
ing in France has simmered down al
most to subnormal, except southwest
of Soissons, where the French have
delivered several violent attacks
against the Germans holding territory
captured last week. Where the enemy
a week ago was throwing thous-
ands upon thousands of men
against the allied lines between
Montdidier and Noyon. Sunday saw
him worn out with his useless efforts
and his forces sadly depleted through
men killed and wounded, unwilling or
unable further to give battle.
In Macedonia the operations daily
increase in Importance. Along the
greater part of the front there have
been heavy reciprocal bombardments
and Bulgarian troops several times
have endeavored to penetrate the al
lied lines. All their efforts, however.
met with i'll success.
London.-British troops in a local
operation have captured the German
forward positions on front of two
miles north of Bethune, according to
Field Marshal Haig's report.
Yankees RepuIse Three Attacks.
With the American Army in France,
June 17.-About coo German shock
troops raided the American first-line
positions at the village of Xivray, in
the Toul sector. early Sunday morn
ing. Some of the enemy got into Xiv
ray, but were soon driven out. At 9TH
er points the Germans were badly
beaten. The attack began at o'clock
in the morning after an extremely vio-
lent bombardment. The Germans ad-
vanced swiftly to the attack but were
met by heavy fire. Those who pene-
trated Xivray were forced speedily to
withdraw and elsewhere the enemy
was completely repulsed in hard fight
ing lasting more than two hours.
Paris.-French troops have reoccu-
pied Coeuvres ct Valsery (southwest
of Soissons. an important strategic
point from which the Germans have
been endeavoring to debouch their
| troops.
Banker John 3. cosgriH Dead.
Denver.-John B. Cosgriff, w-.o with
his brother founded the Hamilton Ma
tional bank in this city, died in his
home here from a stroke of paralysis.
U. S. Army of 100000 by Aug. /.
Washington-Three million Ameri.
cans will be under arms by next Aug.
/, the Senate military committee was
4