The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-07-06
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


The grand offensive of the Austrians
in Italy, failure almost from the
start, developed into a defeat, and
then suddenly into a disastrous rout
last week. The hungry armies of EN-
peror Charles, unable to advance
against the gallant Italians and their
allies, took advantage Of the sudden
subsistence of the flood in the Piave
to retreat under cover of darkness, but
the dawn of Sunday revealed their
movements and General Diaz struck
swiftly. From the Montello to the sea
the italian artillery poured a murder
GUS fire into the throngs of Austrians
who, abandoning their guns, were try
ing to get across the river. Then the
infantry, and even the cavalry men,
were called into action and speedily
completed the rOut. The Pave was
almost choked with the enemyss dead.
Within two days the Austrians had
not only lost all the ground they
gained in their first rush, but had
been driven entirely across the river
to and in some cases beyond their for
mer lines. Their losses were con-
servatively estimated at 100000 in
killed, wounded and prisoners. In ad-
dition the Italians captured great num-
bers of guns and quantities Of NUM-
lions and equipment.
The Austrian rear guards fought
most stubbornly at the MOntello and
at the Zenson bend, those at the latter
place protecting the two remaining
permanent bridges between there and
the mouth of the river. The enemy
suffered severely from the work Of
the allied air forces and in this the
new American aviators were con-
spicuous.
All Italy celebrated the great VIC
tory and the overenthusiastic, there
as elsewhere, expected the Italian
army to follow it up by driving the
Austrians out of the country. But
General Diaz is too wise to fall into a
trap similar to the one that caught
the enemy. The Austrians have been
there long enough to have organized a
very strong defensive line, and more
over, the Germans were rushing troops
to their support all last week. Diaz
did not fail to follow up his advan-
tage in the mountain region, however,
for 1t is there that the next attack Is
expected. His troops improved their
positions very considerably, especial
ly at Monte Grappa, the height that
is the key to the passage down to the
plains between the Brenta and the
Piave.
Ia
The crushing defeat Of the Aus
trians had an enormous moral effect
in all the belligerent countries The
news caused a profound depression in
Austria and Germany that was
contrasted by the jubilation in the al
lied nations. Italy said that all it
now asks is the presence of Ameri-
can troops on its front, and these,
presumably, are on the way IL not
already there.
In the dual monarchy the disaster
on the Piave only accentuated the
serious internal conditions, further
encouraging the rebellious Czechs and
Slovaks and Slavs, and increasing the
general demand for food and peace.
The government has neither the one
nor the other to offer, for both are
under the control Of Germany. The
spirit of revolution is rife in Austria
Hungary, but a note Of warning is
sounded by French statesmen, who de-
clare that the allies must not count on
the success of rebellion there. The
disaffected peoples are separate and
without competent leadership and
Austria's allies could easily lend the