Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-01
EMBATTLED LODI
WELTER OF BLOOD
IN GREAT CONFLICT
Flaming Homesteads, House
to House Fighting, Orgy
of Shells Marked Hinden-
burg's Drive Against Gar.
PARIS. Dec.

PARIS, Dec. l.
"For six days the region about Lodz
was a shambles of blood and death"
says the eastern war correspondent Of
the Journal in dispatch received from
Russian generals headquarters today
His story follows:
THE first phase of the great battle
OF Lodz was the departure of six Ger
man cavalry divisions toward the east
from Kolo on the warthe River. They
were supported by the eighth army under
General Mackenzen. At Vlodslavsk the
German forces attacked the Russian corps
posted on the vistula. The Russians fell
back and the Germans occupied Plotzk.
"The second phase OF the battle devel-
oped when the, Russians, having fallen
back to the Bsura River, were reinforced
by three additional army corps. The Ger
man left wing composed OF two army
corps, advanced on Lowicz, while the
right wing, composed of FIVE army corps,
advanced against the Russian centre in
an EFFORT to pierce II. II crossed the
Bsura River and plunged like steel
wedge into the Russian line east Of Lodz.
HINDENBURG's GOAL
The object OF General Won Hindenburg
was clear He hoped that the Russians.
having their centre broken. would retire
all along the line in order to reconstruct
their army This would leave Warsaw
unprotected.
''The German eighth army fought furi-
ously 10 gain this magnificent prize. The
Germans installed observers in every viii
Iage. The troops fought from house to
house. Rapld-fire guns were mounted in
the church towers.
THE character OF the fighting was ter
rlnc- The whole country was ahame,
The smallest country homestead was
taken and Fetaken dozens Of times and
then disappeared In flames or went TO
splinters beneath the shells Of artillery.
II was a wsiter OF blood, an orgy OF
country around Lodz was a shambles-
a charusl house. German aeroplanes
dropped 70 bombs upon LODI In one day.
RUSSIAN STRATEGY SUPERIOR.
''The Germans succeeded in penstrat-
ing as far as Kohouchki and Rzgof.
southeast Of Lodz and victory seemed
10 be within their grasp. but Grand Duke
Nicholas. the Russian eommandsr-in-
chief. and Generals Ruszky ana IYanoff
AaA AaA4 NnSAA RAaha well anu NAH AaeAAAAaA
commanders were frustrated.
''The present phase OF the situation Is
this; The German eighth army Is sepa-
rated into three distinct groups The
first group lies between Gombin and Brke=
ziny, II was attacked on three sides ana
only one road was left open for It's retreat
namely. the road through Kutno, but Rus
SLAMS are coming up from Lods and are
lnsnaclnS this line OF retirement. The
German forces lying near Glovno are
almost entirely surrounded. Another
group south Of RzsoW Is trying to hEht
its way north against overwhelming odds
Its westward retreat = cut on entirely
! The German forces near RzsoW and
Glovno may be considered one group.
The third group west OF Wielun Is IN a
serious position. but not critical one. for
its right flank On the Warthe River still
commands the Kalisz road, and this road
may serve either for q retreat iof for the
use 81 rlinforcemeuts.
rIhe s0il Of Poland a purple with
hioodi u y a sisantic symphony in red.