The sun., 1914-09-25
Austrians Alone Cannot
Hold Advancing Russians
Further. Italians manianS and Bugarians Threaten
Join Offensive Observation-Disclosures .Ospph'S Army
May BE Destroyed Before Reaching Cracow

At the battle ot Lembcrg the Aus
TRAN centre facing cast and standing In
tho midst of tho Austrian province OF
iaiicia was routed. Two days later the
right. holding the line from tho Car
pathians to the upper reaches Of the
Dnltster River. was driven in and the
strong fortress Of Ialicz taken. Mean
time the Austrian loft. striking north
toward Luhlin aud attempting TO post
pone Russian advance into Germany,
had Won preliminary successes. But the
defca; OF the right and centre left II in
= prccarious position. Attempting TO es-
cape. the Austrians were soundly beaten
at Ravarusska and az Tonaszov. These
battles completed the defeat Of the main
Austrian field army, In II general way
they may be described as parts Of the
great battle OF LcmberG. since they are
portions of a single general operation.
Having been defeated on all wings 1t
became vital necessity for the Austrians
not merely to retreat, but retreating to
concentrate. Precisely as the Germans
after the battle OF the Marne went north
until they stood solidly on the line of the
Aisne. the Austrlans had to seek a defen-
sve battle-ground This was discover
able some seventy miles west OF Lem
berg behind the san River. Flowing
north from the Carpsthians to the Nistua
straight across the whole province OF
cialicia. this large stream supplied a
splendid barrier. In addition. both Hanks
u An army standing behind the San are
protected. on the south by the Carpath-
ians. on the north by the Nistula flowing
east from Cracuw.
Not only this pnsiftOp ~ tho Ca n
strong naturally but in the centre two
great fortresses surrounded by detached
forts had been prepared at Jaroslav and
Przemysl Retreating from Ravarusska,
Lomberg. HaliCz. tho Austrians could
hope. finding reenforcements here, to make
n second and more successful fight, II
the morale Of their armies had not been
shaken by their defeats but the fall
Of Jaroslav plainly demonstrates that the
Russian description OF the Austrian re-
verses as routs was not exaggerated. In
surrendering Jaroslav the Austrians have
given up not merely the line OF the San
River, but the railroad from Cracow to
lrzemysl. Moreover. since the Russians
We're able 10 cross tho San further north
on the heels OF the fleeing Austrians.
saving the bridge. they now hold positions
west Of the San enabling their own right
and centre to cross, while their left wing
along the Carpathians is across the San
s'ull VI iII'ilysi
TRrnow Ii Next Position.
/ For the Austrians now the next prom
/ isug defensive position s Tarnow, nifty
/ miles cast OF CracOw and eighty miles
/ west Of Jaroslav. Here the Dunajec
! River flowing north like the san TO the
/ Nistula from tho Carpathians bars the
/ Russian road. while tho Vistula protects
| the nank. The Vistula here too. IL much
] ma -, IN l'arp.thiapg ba A,,u
trians will have a far shorter line to de-
| fend but Tarnow Is not compa ble with
! Przemysl or even Jaroslav as a fortified
place.
! Falling back from Jaroslav the Aus
trians will have always 10 guard against
the possibility of being enveloped by
| Cossack cavalry and cut OF from Tarnow
II the retreat Is a rout they may be
captured or destroyed along the miry
roads they are following. In any event
an army 50 shaken as to be unable Ia
defend the san barrier will hardly reach
| Tarnow In an improved state after long
difficult harassing retreat
In the larger way the Austrian dis.
astor at Jaroslav is even more impress
sive than AT LcmbcrR II proves that
a month after the earlier defeat II has
not recovered It's fighting power has
not pulled Itself togethc- sufficiently tC
defend position ten times as strong
! naturally ~ that Whlcn tle German
army was able 10 hold six days after II
had been defeated and compelled Il
Withdraw from the Marnc 20 the Aisne
There is then u good prospect that
the Austrian field army in it's present
retreat may he wholly disorganlzed praC
tically destroyed as fighting force befor,
I, comes home at Tarnow or Cracow, out
numbered demoralized by successive dis
aa,ers, undermined by Sav sympa thies
attacked by the diseases which always
anlict badly trained and improperiS
equipped troops, the plight of this Aus
trian field force il plainly becoming more
and more desperate.
The consequences OF these defeats ar,