Show GENERAL WINTER WINTER-TO PLAY BIG PART PARTS PARTIN S IN ITALY T Two wo Weeks More and ond Storms Will Check Ad Ad- Advance Advance vance Into Plains Prins By United Press WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN ITALY Dec 20 The The fae of the Venetian Venetian Venetian Vene Vene- tian plains today hangs on the weather If Italy's lines lints hold for a fortnight under the tremendous tremendous' Teutonic pressure winters winter's ice and snow will effe effectively lock loci the door to the plains Both sides realize the supreme supreme necessity ne necessity necessity ne- ne of a decision on both sides of the Brenta river If It Italy can make successful defense defense defense-as as she is now doing do do- ing and Ing-and and check the G Austro-G Germans Austro-Germans on their present line she will be ready for a sprint counter offensive Officials regard the present prese t situa situa- situation situation tion as the most favorable and the most hopeful for the Italians since the original retreat The German Austro-German strategy is now sufficiently unfolded to render It certain their sole winter object consists in reaching the Venetian Venetian Venetian Vene Vene- tian plains through the valley of ot the Brenta flowing lowing out from the Alps at Bassano TWO Protecting this crucial point the Italians have two deep One is east of the Brenta culminating with i its most northerly point In Monte Solarolo Solarolo Solarolo So- So Monte Grappa is Its highest point The other is west of the Brenta I culminating to the north in Monte of the Asiago plateau While While- General Buelow's German armies by successive and carefully prepared attacks seek to encircle Monte Grap Grappa a. a by capturing contiguous ous ground and neighboring peaks Gen General ral Conrads Conrad's Austrians are delivering delivering ering either simultaneous or alternating alternating alternating ing attacks against the Asiago salient on the opposite side of the Brenta ITALIANS RESIST D continuous assault During a four-day four 1 by the enemy last week the Italian fourth army put up a resistance so formidable as to win the unstinted admiration of both the French and British armies Snow fell throughout the mountain sector Rector on Monday the Monday the first real winter winter winter win win- ter weather At the most the enemy enemy has only a few days left before great drifts of snow will wili freeze him up The terrific intensity intensity- of the battle now now rag- rag to no no- nois is aptly illustrated by testimony a trian prisoners They ecial re reo driven to the attack by a a. 1 1 1 p t fire of their own artillery put i r I attacking waves and constantly yi p. p j r forward The Austrians must rt d d 3 e e or be wiped out by their own |