Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-08
kUROPATkIN IS NOW
 BEING CRITISIZED.
Gloomy Reports From the kanchurian Battefelds Cause His Enemies to Say Harsh Th:nss-His Friends Still
 Believe he Will Save his Army-Reports From Tokio Say Part of Russian Force is in Full Retreat.

St retersburg, March s, 1:5O D. m.- Tokio dispatches announcing that Gen. eral kuroki is making progress and had already reached point fourteen miles south of Fushun yesterday, show Ing that Lieutenant-General Linevitch. commander of the first Manchurian army, is again giving way, is the latest and worst word which reached St Pc tersburg this morning regarding the situation at the front
 With the fate of the gigantic strug- gle between General Kuropatkin and Field Marshal Oyama probably all ready decided, as it is now o'clock at night in Mukden and St Petersburg waiting breathlessly for news. omin- ous silence reigns. No private or press dispatches giving news of to-day's bat tie have yet arrived here and the idea that the curtain is rung down, taking leaf sout of past experiences, is pessi- mistically interpreted.
 There are ugly rumors circulating the streets that the day is lost and that the Russian army is in full and dis orderly retreat with only the gallant rear guard fighting off the victorious Japanese.
 According to other rumors the lack of news is accounted for by the report that the Japanese have cut the Rus sian line of communications. But these are still rumors. All the mill. tary critics this morning, however. agree that Kuropatkin's position is eX- tremely critical and that to-day should decide the issue. Moreover, the ma jority are of the opinion that Kuro- patkin has held his ground as long as possible and that they are unable to see how if beaten he can escape utter ruin. At the same time all dwell on kurOpatkin's excessive prudence, his refusal to take the risks of war at an Opportune moment being indeed the cause of much censure, and the fact that he has stuck to his positions therefore encourages the hope that he is preparing for great counter-stroke such as he planned at LiaOyang. but tiinched before when General OrToff' s corps was crushed. The situation at Liaoyang is now duplicated with the turning movement reversed. KurOpat kin behind strong works is holding the Japanese center and right while con- centrating for blow at the Japanese turning column on the plain west of Mukden. Those who still pin their faith to Kuropatkin declare he must have concentrated all his reserves on his right flank and that he has been waiting for the moment when the herculean efforts of the Japanese to crush and envelope that wing will be exhausted ill order to launch blow which will determine whether he is the victor or the yanquished, It Is sig. niticant that General Dragomiroff. Russia's greatest strategist, now an old man. whom the emperor has called upon to act as his military adviser, has openly joined the ranks of KurOpat- kin's critics. going to the extent of de- lending General Gripenbefg's course in an article fin the military organ This is interpreted as sealing KurOpat- kin's fate if the battle has gone against him. On the other hand, victory would confound the detractors of the commander-in-chief and give him an unassailable position.
 Public interest is at higher pitch than at any time during the war. From different motives every class is most eager to learn the result of the battle. Groups surround the bulletin boards and the evening editions of the newspapers are snatched from the hands of the newsbOys.