MENACE TO ITALY

Taihape Daily Times, 30 November 1917, Page 3

MENACE TO ITALY

PIAVE LINE MAY BE YIELDED. RESOLUTE DEFENCE OF HEIGHTS LONDON, November 20. Reuter’s correspondent at headquarters telegraphed on Sunday evening: Owing to the strength of the enemy effort, which is supported by constant reinforcements of men and artillery, it is probable that the Italians will for the present only be able to delay the but they thus gain time to enable the m to make preparations for a counter-offensive. The abandonment of the Piave may be a painful necessity, leading to the successful accomplishment of these preparations.

Telegraphing on Monday, the correspondent stated: —In the Alps above the Venetian Plains the enemy is repeating the tactics -he employed when he broke through the Izonso front. The troops commanded by the Archduke Eugene are daily testing the Italian lines along the valleys leading from Asiago, hoping to find a weak SP Qt < ■ Reuter’s correspondent in Paris says that according to a semi-official report the most noteworthy event today was the more resolute Italian resistance, which has even e ntered upon the phase of counter-attack to the Austro-Gcrman concentric movement in the mountains. The enemy is making his principal effort between the Brenta and the Piave, because if he breaks the Italian centre he can take the Italian right wing in reverse. Notwithstanding the importance of the line covering Treviso and Venice, the whole interest in the battle is centred in the mountain pass of Sette Communi, which dominates the Bassano Plain.

Mr Ward Price writes: —Tlie shelling from the warships, including British ass ists in the defence of the inundated region of the Piave estuary. The whole situation is tending towards a great battle; which will decide the fate of the enemy’s invasioip All the Italian fighting now aims at delaying the Austrian descent on the plain long enough to enable the French and British forces to complete preparations for resistance, or, to counter-attack if the enemy weakens at any point. Reuter’s correspondent at Rome states that at the re-opening of the Chamber of Deputies the Prime Minister, Signor Orlando, paid a handsome tribute to the French and British authorities for their spontaneous help. Subsequently a resolution proposed by Signor recently Prime Minister, reaffirming faith in the Allies and the necessity for national unity to repel the invaders, was adopted with acclamation. Signor Orlando warhM members that the situation walT one of exceptional gravity. Italy at pfc's ent was facing the whole of the Austrian army and also most powerful reserves from the German Army.