New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-08
Russia Driving Home Her Attach
in the East.


Russians have rapidly driven home their aV'a'A
in the East. Up to date Russia has accomplished
much more than Germany has, since the Kussian
armies occupy much larger area OF hostile ter
r,torv than the Germans do and have practically
disabled one of Austria Hungarys armies. Inc
Germans in the West have driven the Belgian
army into Antwerp where it is relatively saie
from attack But no large French force has oeeh
crpnled On the other hand, the Russians arter
routing the Austro. Hungarians in Eastern Gahcla'
are now sweeping westward toward CracoW anu
are simultaneously attacking the two other AuSpo-
Hungarian armies which have invaded Poland
east Of the vistula
The official war news sent out from Petrograo
has been exceptionally candid and Trustworthy
Thanks to it the public knows far more about the
operations in the eastern war theatre than 1t mas
been permitted to learn of the operations in the
West. French and English bulletins have been
extremely vague and meagre, and the Germans
have given out exaggerated reports OF their sue
cesses and ignored their reverses. The Berlin war
Office has never yet admitted defeat by the Rus
slams at Gumbinnen, and it has not yet conceded
that Temberr is in the hands Of the enemy. But
tbe Russians made no concealment of their serious
setback at Allenstein, where they evidently loSt
about 10000 prisoners-not 10000 or 10000, as was
reported by the Berlin wireless service.
The latest summary from Petrograd of the sit
uaHon in the East bears all the earmarks of We
racity. in East Prussia the army Of occupation
has MAINLY been pushed back. In the northern
half Of that province the Russian forces hold
Tilst and are close up to K6nigsberg, which is
practically isolated The advance line runs from
near K0nigsberg southeast for fifty miles toward
Rastelburg, in the Lake District In this direction
the Russians are now about forty miles northeast
of Allenstein.
The army which was defeated with heavy loss
about two weeks ago came north from the Polish
border toward Allenstein and Osterode 1t is
now back Oh its base, and the Russian forces
stretch along the northern border of Poland from
johannesburg in East Prussia, to Neschawa, on the
vistula River, about ten miles above Thorn. Big
German reinforcements have been pushed into
East Prussia, and the Russians will probably
merely try to hold their own there until the present
operations in Poland and Galicia are completed
Russia did not attempt to defend Poland west
of the line Of the vistua. Her covering army lay
on that river while the mobilization was occurring
far back in Russia proper German troops coming
from the direction of silesia therefore encoun-
tered little opposition in pushing as far into
Poland as LODI, and two Austro- Hungarian armies
under Generals Won Auffenberg and Danski were
also able to penetrate Poland from the direction Of
Cracow as fur as Lublin, about eighty miles south
east Of Warsaw. There the invaders are now
in a dangerous situation since the Russians,
reinforced by detachments from the victorious
army in Eastern Galica, are pounding them in
front and the army of Eastern Galicia, which has
reached Jaroslav and Przemysl, is threatening
their rear. Things seem to be shaping themselves
for another Hungarian defeat east Of
Cracow as crushing that suffered little over
week ago below Lemberg.
The Russian advance through Galicia is making
Roadway rapidly. 1t is fifty miles from Lemberg
TO Przemysl, and If that fortress falls or is
masked the way will be open to CracOw. Once
the San River is crossed the line which the Austro'
Hungarians defeated at Lemberg are now holding,
the rear Of the Austrans fighting in the Lublin
district will be reached and only a swift retire
ment will save Francis Josephs generals.
II the Russians reach Cracow by September 20
the first stage Of the march to Berlin will have
been finished much earlier than any conservative
military critic could have anticipated. The Rus
slams win have cleared their southern flank for a
distance of nearly three hundred miles. The
northern hank has been cleared up to line run
ming straight south from KGnigsberg to Cracow,
and there will be no longer any obstacle to Il
forward movement through the middle Of Poland
across the Prussan border. An invasion through
the Province Of PoseD between the cities of POSen
and Bromberg would take in the roar the line of
Prussian forresses on the Vistula River and would
compel Germany to abandon East Prussia, West
Prussia and Posen and to rally all her forces for
the defence of the line Of the oder,