FIGHTING FOR VENICE.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 22 November 1917, Page 3

FIGHTING FOR VENICE.

AUSTRIANS WITHIN FEW MILES. Received 9.30 a.m., Thursday. London, [November 21. Percival Gibbon 'reports : Already the Italian resistance in the Piave sectors lias hardened into a dogged, dangerous defensive. Where the soldiers are'holding their ground .and counter, attacking the have not recovered 1 their organisation as quickly as the Italians regained their active defensive capacity. The fighting near Zenson was particularly violent. The Italians included volunteers for storming duties called "Arditi." These "candidates for death," wearing 'a special uniform and comprising only the stron. gest men, rushed the enemy positions after a short bombardment. The Hungarians fought well but soon fell back to the river losing heavily. The Italian resistance everywhere is stubborn but the enemy pressure in. ereasea. A large part of the population of Venice lias departed but still the gondolas ply on the canals. The city dloes not despair, but is breathlessly expectnnt. The asylums and prisons have been evacuated and the British and American colonies have mostly gone. A few are remaining whatever Venj ice's fate. Refugees are pouring in from the outlying villages..on the lagoons. The dull boom of the Austrian guns can be heard northward of the lagoons. At one point the enemy is actually within 25,000 yards of Venice. Tho Italian 'author and publicist, G&brtelle d'Annunzio, conversing, said,: "Let ub fire the city rather than that .the Austrian Should tread these stones." Received 9.30 a.m., on Thursday. Paris, November 21. Jl, Clemenceau, the new French Prime Minister, in an interview; with the Petit Journal, saidi the situation has improved. General Fayollo has gone to Italy and General Focli remains there. They will bring back a common plan for the Allies and probably a wSoter campaign will take place in Italy. POPE ASKS THAT CITY BE SPARED. Received 10.30 a.m. on Thursday. Paris, November 21. The Pope has suggested to Austria the neutralisation of Venice under the Patriarchate during the war. The Italian Government refused to consider the proposal. Rome, November 21. Austria has asked Italy to 'declare whether Venice is considered a fortified city. This is taken to indicate the enemy's intention to begin operations against Venice and provide justification for anything that ensues.