The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-05
ITALIANS STRIKE
HARD At TEUTONS
Fierce Counter Attacks Result
in Gains on Monte De
Val Bella.
GAVE UP SOME GROUND LATER
Berlin Claims All Assaults Were Re-
pulsed With Heavy Losses-The
Peace Parleys Situation.

Washington, Dec. 2T-Except on the
Northern Italian front, the military
operations continue far below nor
nal. In france, where snow has fall
len along the entire front, only BON
bardments and small raiding opera
lions are taking place.
West Of the Brenta in the Italian
Highlands. the Italians Christmas day
continued their counter attacks upon
the Austro-German forces, which pre-
viously had succeeded in making
gains on Col Del Rosso and Monte, De
Val Bella.
The battle waged throughout the
morning with great violence and the
Italians wrested several of their for
mer positions from the enemy. but
owing to renewed onslaughts by the
Teutonic allied forces they were again
compelled to give ground
The Berlin war office admits that
the Italians threw heavy counter at
tacks against the invaders on the Col
Del ROsso and neighboring sectors,
but asserts that ali Of them broke
down under heavy losses.
The Peace ParIeys.
The situation surrounding the peace
parleys between the Austro-Germans
and the Russians is still beclOuded.
owing TO lack of details being permit
ted to come through At last accounts
the Germans had not only failed 10
return an answer to the demands
made by the BOlsheYiki delegates. but
had requested that the negotiations
be extended for virtually another
month. Meantime a German commits
sion has started for Petrograd from
Berlin in an endeavor to restore rela-
items between Germany and Russia.
also to reach a settlement with the
Russians for an exchange of civilian
and incapacitated war prisoners.
Germans Plan New Attack.
Washington, Dec, 26-Increased can
nonading in the region Of Verdun, es-
pecially around DOuaumont. the
Chaume Wood and the Caurieres
Wood, which a year ago were the the
aters Of some Of the fiercest encoun-
tiers in the war, apparently indicates
the intention of the Germans to keep
the French forces in this sector well
occupied, or might even mean q re-
newed effort TO break through at this
vital point The allies, however, are
evidently making ready for an unto
ward event and have taken the init
ative in other directions
In Italy The battle is still raging On
the PiaTe front The Italians an
nounce that they have recaptured, de-
spite stubborn resistance, the posi-
tons they had lost the previous day
on the Asiago plateau Berlin reports,
however, tend to minimize the setback
and lay stress on the repulse Of Italian
counter-attacks against the positions
newly won by the Germans and
thrust at Monte Pertica. The Ger
mans report the capture Of 5000 Itaf-
ians in engagements around Coldel
Russo.
True to their tactics the Austro-Ger-
mans will probably direct another and
greater thrust at a different point, as
would appear from the shifting OF
large forces TO the Franzela valley and
the mountainous region to the north
The menace to Venice seems, however.
to have been removed for the time
being
Plan to Exchange captiVes.
Paris, Dec 26.-An official note TO
day announces the reaching Of an
agreement between the French and
German governments for the exchange
Of prisoners by which noncOmmission-
ed officers and men of 40 years Of age
or over who have been in captivity
more than eighteen months VIII be
repatriated- Officers in the same
category will be interned in Switzer-
land.
TeUtons Gather in Italy.
With the French Armies in North
ern Italy, Dec 2A-Unexpectsdl
baked in their march toward the plain
by the loss Of the Monte Asolone posi-
tons within twenty-four hours after
they had captured them, the Austro-
German forces are concentrating
heavily, according to all available re-
ports, north and northeast Of this in
portant approach TO dominating Monte
Grappa- A new and unprecedentedly
vigorous onslaught on the barriers 20
the plains is expected soon. not only
at Grappa itself. but On the Asiago
Plateau and possibly the Lower PiaTe,
where enemy troop concentrations also
are recorded