The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-06-27
|AUSTRIANs FALL
BACK PEll-MELL
ITALIANS FORGE FOE TO RE-
TREAT IN DISORDER FROM
ALPS TO THE SEA.
DRIVE COSTLY FAILURE
FOOD sHoRvAoE sPREADs IN
DUAL MosiAneHY-cAusGs
WoRsg4Rs' RIoTs.


Western Nswspapsr Union News Service.
Rome, June 24.-The first phase OF
the Austrian offensive has ended In
failure, in defeat The elimination OF
what was intended to be the crushing
of Italy between the jaws Of the Aus
trian pincers is rout of the invaders.
With their backs to the swollen
Piave, the Austrians for several days
past had been trying to ward off the
vicious counter attacks Of the Italians
and save the situation. Now they are
endeavoring, and still under great
pressure, to ford the stream and reach
safety on the eastern bank.
From the Montello plateau to the
Adriatic sea the enemy 10 in retreat.
Already his losses are estimated at
10000 men and the chances Of his
uAlties and men made prisoner seem
remote.
Large numbers Of the pontoon
bridges that tho Austrians threw
across the Piave have heea swept
away by the now torrential stream.
and ON all the sectors Of tbs thirty.
three-mile front. where they Os1Aed
edges OF the Venetian plain, they are
being sorely harasscd BY the fire OF
the Italian guns and rifles and BY the
machine guns and bombs Of the allied
aviators. who have doae such notable
execution since the attempted drive
was stated ga
Undoubtedly the Austrian high con-
manA had built largely for success On
the belief that the Italian moss4s hnA
been shattered. The first onslaught
the enemy met . rejuvenAted army
which fought calamity. never csding
An inch unless It was dearly paid for.
Aiding the Italians In the mountains
were British and French armies. Tor
ritory taken in the mountains was al
emy held in check.
Large numbers Of the ensmy have
been reported recently, ~ coming up
behind the northern line in the noun
tain region. and II il not improbable
that shortly the second phase OF the
battle will begin. Complete conf
dence II felt In the Italian and other
allied commands, however. that the
enemy will meet foemen Of superior
quality and that his efforts viii 70 for
naught.
On the battle froats in Ffance and
Flanders the Germans are ho1AiAg
thsif msa to ths tranehea. exss1t tor'
small attacks here and there. There
b 10 indication that for the present II
Il thsir intsntisa to launc4 aaotAer
big offsnsive. Beth the British and
French have carried oct successfully
several miAof operations and repulseA
all tho eae0y's nansuvers. Near
Bligny. In tAs Masns region. the Ger
mans sosoeedsd in gaining footing in
trsash, but N ltalGaA eoatinsent
Immediately s5osted them. ~f
The serloas food shortage In Aus
tria- Hungary has given rise to sensA-
tional rumors. There 10 little doubt
conditions in Austria are near crisis.
Little Of the true status Of affairs can
be learned. but what little news filters
through neutral countries shows the
Austrian people on short rations, that
serious rioting has occurred and that
general strikes are feared.
Since the abortive attack on the
Rheims front early last week, the
western front has been quiet. Berlin
officially reports the presence Of Ital-
ian troops in the Rheims sector. Amer
ican forces have continued their In.
tense activity on the fronts where
they are holding positions. Northwest
Of Chateau Thierry they have pushed
their lines forward once more and east
Of the city have bombarded bodies of
German troops.
It is reported that Nicolai Lenine,
the Bolshevik premier of Russia. has
decided to resign. in spite of vote of
confidence given him by the soviet
committee.
Washington.-Ameri soldiers are
now holding the fighting line for dis
tance of thirty-eight miles on the west
ern front, according to information
given members of the House military
committee at the weekly conference
with Secretary Baker and General
March, chief Of staff.
This mileage i held by "all-Ameri-
can" forces under command of Ameri-
can officers, located at six places
along the fighting line. Other Ameri-
cans are at the front with British and
French units.
Yankees In France rotai 10000.