Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 November 1917 — ALLIES’ TROOPS RUSHED TO ITALY [ARTICLE]

ALLIES’ TROOPS RUSHED TO ITALY

Trainloads of French and British Pass Through Nice Going to the Front. LINE HOLDS, ASSERTS ROME Italian Forces Have Defeated Renewed Efforts of Germans to Cross the Piave River—Berlin Reports Gain. Washington, Nov. 16.—From Nice comes a report that trainloads of French and British troops are rolling constantly through that place on their way from France into Italy and are greeted with great popular enthusiasm. General Fayolle will command the French armies now being sent to Italy, according to an announcement made here. General Foch, the chief of the French staff, is only temporarily in command of the French forces. Line Holds, Says Rome. Rome, Nov. 16.—The Italians have defeated renewed efforts of the Germans to cross the Piave river. Those of the enemy who forced a crossing at two points on previous days are being held in check, the war office announced. The enemy forces which effected a crossing at Zenson are being more closely invested and those across the river in the marshy sector near the coast are being checked and shelled. Other enemy attacks were repulsed. In the mountains in the north the Italians have made a further withdrawal. The advanced posts at Monte Tomatico, south of Feltre, were drawn back to positions previously determined. Berlin Claims Advance. Berlin, Nov. 16. —German troops on the mountain front in northern Italy are advancing to the south from Fonzaso and Feltre, says the official communication. No- change is reported along the lower Piave river. Guns in Intense Duel. Italian Army Headquarters in Northern Italy, Nov. 16. —Under the escort of a staff officer from headquarters the correspondent made a tour along 30 miles of the Piave battle front while a terrific artillery fire was in progress on both banks of the river, and the whole ordinarily peaceful valley was transformed into a blazing inferno. From a suitable observation point the view led across the river to the positions occupied by Gen. von Buelow’s German troops, who had occupied the town of Vidor, over which hung a huge German balloon. Big Bridge in Ruins. An abandoned warehouse on the bank of the Piave river farther down afforded a view of a massive bridge with the two middle spans blown up and of the great pall of smoke hanging over Zenson and the Island of Grave, where the enemy had crossed the river, but were still held back on the river’s edge by the fierce counter attacks of the Italians. j All along the lower stretch of* the river the bombardment was continuous and the whole countryside, stricken under the fire, was fleeing from the terrain within the range of the guns. The Italian lines were holding well at all points, and everything indicated the thoroughness of the concentration that had been effected by the army along the newttlines. In the new trenches along the river bank and among the columns advancing along the roads the men displayed the best of spirits and evidenced their determination to hold the Piave line.