NEARING THE CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 November 1917, Page 6

NEARING THE CRISIS.

ITALY'S *LINE OF DEFENCE. ARRIVAL OF ALLIED TROOPS. LONDON, Nov 9. Reuter's correspondent at Italian headquarters states that the AustroGerzs.au difficulties of transport are increasing, owing to the lengthening of their communications and the destruction by the Italians of the rail-v.-avs, bridges, reads and the water supply. The Italians are doing their

utmost to reconstitute their forces and mass their artillery, in order to form a barie to the invaders. The issue of the crisis depends on whether the Austro-Germans have a sufficient force to continue the advance at the present rate, or whether the long-drawn pursuit is so thinning their lines that the Italians may be able to stop and roll them back. The arrival of gay, and confident allied troops has already had an admirable effect, and the Italian staff is read;/ to make any sacrifice to save the situation. ALLIED MISSION AT FRONT. Mr Llcyd George, British Prime Minister, M. Painleve, and other Allied Ministers and generals, went to the front and conferred with the King of Italy' for two hours on measures with a view to allied co-operation. The party afterwards visited the Angle-French troops going to the front. A semi-official Note says that the Anglo-French Ministers and generals are able to fully appreciate the high spirit of the italian troops, who are marching with supreme confidence to meet the invader.

Renter's correspondent at Italian headquarters, writing on Thursday, states that the dominant bridges on the Livenza River were blown up by -the Italians .in order to delay the enemy's advance. Meanwhile, the retreat has greatly shortened the fighting which is now scarcely 30 miles. This will be of much assistance to the Italians in concentrating for defence.

Mr Jeffries, the Times correspondent in Italy, states .that a stubborn stand preceding the Livenza retreat by the Italians and armoured cars effected great German slaughter. The dash and gallantry displayed revealed that the Italians are fully equal to their vaunted opponents. The stand greatly heartened the enemy. REVIVAL OP SPIRIT. The Times correspondent at Rome states that there is a splendid revival of Italian spirit,' and fired with determination to repel the invasion all classes are crowding into the army. Parliamentarians, aristocrats, socialists, and factory men have offered their services. A young priest, who was previously exempted, renounced his exclaiming: "The Lutherans are on the soil of sacred Catholicism, and it is time to join the other ecclesiastics at the fighting front." The Paris newspaper, Le Temps, in the course of a grave warning says that the Allies must abandon illusions They must not think that the intervention of Franco-British forces would, in the twinkling of an eye, change the enemy success into a rout. The positions the Italians lost are extremely strong, and others which will be held to-morrow—if they can be held —will be much weaker. The enemy having shortened his front is all the stronger. The French and British are faced with the necessity for restoring the difficult situation. Reuter's correspondent at New York states that the correspondent of the Associated Press at the Italian Headquarters emphasises that the Tagliamento has fulfilled the main object in delaying the enemy's advance enabling the Italians to pull themselves together, and to reconcentrate forces. The enemy has now to face other important lines, and other rivers which the Italians have chosen as the final lines of resistance The two theories regarding the result of the present operations are, firstly ? that the Italians, with the Anglo-French reinforcements, will concentrate on the line chosen; and secondly the Austro-Germans, in view of the approach of winter, will not push on much further. Everything indicates that normality will be speedily restored. '■■"''

The correspondent of the Times at Home says that the encouraging featlire of the crisis is the telegrams w-hich the Government is receiving from all kinds of workmen's associations. The threatened strikes have l>een averted, and the men are now working on war materials with the greatest energy.