Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-20
AUSTRIAN ADVANCE
SWEEPS SERB SOIL,
EXPERT DECLARES
Military Attache of Local
Consulate Explains Signi6-
canoe of Present Aggres-
sive Campaign Against
Belgrade and Nish.

One Of the important consequences of
the campaign waged against the Servlans
by the Austro-Hungarian lies in the fact
that 1t will decide whether large forces
Of Francis Joseph's troops shall be sent
against the Russians in the north, there
by allowing the Germans to withdraw
troops and send them against the Allies
In the west or be kept engaged to the
south, according to a statement made to-
day by Lieutenant Colonel Macmillan
orszagh, of the Austro- Hungarian army
and an attache at the Austro-Hungarian
Consulate In Philadelphia In speaking
OF the Servian situation, Colonel OrszaEh
said that few realize the real Importance
OF this phase OF the war.
According to the statement made by
him, the AUstro-H Hungarian forces, hav-
ing crossed the Kolubara River, will In
part direct their efforts against BELGRADE
which the Servian Government left early
In the war, while the remaining Austrian
forces will push to the southeast and at
tempt to beslege Nish, the temporary
Servian capital
In speaking of the war in this section
and reviewing the progress. of the AUS
trian forces there, Colonel Orszagh said:
1.-THE situation in Servia is not clear to
the various operations In that section, but
unless these are followed very closely II
is hard to grasp the real situation. In
the early stages OF tho war the actions
of the Austro-H -Hungarians against the
Servians and against the Montenegrins.
who Joined them, were confined princi-
pally to protecting the borders. We had
but small forces situated in those Sec
tlons.
"Our offensive movement against them
began about a month ago. The Servians
had been threatening our frontier It
was decided to put down their move
Inent Consequently our forceS-were sent
across the Drina and Save Rivers into
Servia. Shabatz, a very important town,
was the objective. Having taken this the
army divided. Part pushed directly east
and took Obrenovatz, about 10 miles
southwest of Belgrade. The other divl-
sion pushed southeast, taking Dosnitza
and Krupani. en- route to YalJevo, which
latter place we have but recently in
vested.
1.-THE most recent Official dispatches
show that both divisions have crossed the
Kolubara River. This was a very i'm
portant move. The division to the north
is now free to move on Belgrade, the for
mer capital OF Servia, which the Servian
Government deserted on our approach.
while the division to the south will push
to the southeast, advancing on Nish, the
temporary capital
THE great engagements of the other
theatres OF the war have dimmed to
great extent the real Importance Of the
actions in Servia. The Importance of the
fighting there lies in the fact that should
Servla be defeated by the Austrians the
latter can withdraw large forces, which
will be sent against the Russians. These
added forces fighting the Cars army
will enable the Germans to remove large
numbers of their troops now I'm the east
to the western theatre and give an added
impetus to the campaigns against the
Allies forces in that section"