Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-31
CZAR'S OFFENSIVE
FORCES GERMANS
TO REFORM LINES
Russian Drive With New
Vigor and Fresh Troops
Compels Evacuation of
Dearly Gained Positions.
PETRoaRAp. neo. Al.

PETRoGRAD, Dec. 81.
| The German armies under Field Marshal
Won Hindenhurg and oberst General Won
MacSenzen have been compelled to take
! up new positions by the vigor of the
Russian attacks west OF Warsaw
In Poland the Russian positions are sat-
isfaotory at every point, thanks to the
| strategy OF Grand Duke Nicholas. Field
Marshal Won Hlndenburg has been com
PEELED to abandon his assaults on the
roads oonverging at Warsaw and his
| forces are now on the defensive.
The position held by the Germans on
the right bank Of the Bzura a few miles
north Of soohaeczew has been abandoned
by them. Hard hghtlng is in progress
around Bollmow, whore the Germans are
resisting the advance of the Russians
with the courage Of despair.
A battle Is raging around Gombin, be-
tween Lowicz and the Vistula RIVER
where the Germans have thrown forward
the flower OF their invading army into
the fray. The early stages OF this en-
gagement have been favorable to the
Russians, who captured a whole platoon
OF quick firing guns.
The Russians are again driving in the
direction of Cracow from point imme-
diateIy east Of Zakliczyn. First however.
they must force a passage of the Dun
alec River at that point. Zakllczyn is
only 35 miles southeast of Cracow.
There is hard fight for trenches south
of Inowlodz.
The Russians advance has been steady
since Sunday, especially in the sphere
of operations south of the Vistula. The
ability Of Grand Duke Nicholas to place |
fresh formations upon his battle front |
to oppose the wornout German troops |
has compelled Oberst General Won Mack |
enzen and Field Marshal Won Hindenburg |
to change their plan OF campaign and to |
retire to other positions on the Bzura |
and Rawka Rivers.
The official statement from General
Headquarters today shows that heavy
fighting continues west of Warsaw
against the Germans at Bolimow, near
Sochaczew, on the lower Bzura River at
Inowlodz. on the Pilica and at Malaga
schtsch, which is on the Nida River. Com
flct has been general in these districts
for several days
The evacuation by the Germans of the
village of Mistrzewice, five miles north
OF sochaczew, related officially by the
War Office. Is regarded by military
critics here as ringing down the curtain
on the third German advance toward
Warsaw"
At a tremendous cost to themselves
the Germans had succeeded in establish
Ing a foothold in Mistrzewlce. on the
east bank OF the Bzura River, but their
persistent sledge hammer attacks during
the last three weeks failed to penetrate
the Russian line before Warsaw. The
Germans steadily threw reinforcements
into the town in an endeavor to extend
their position along the river. When 1t
became evident that the Austrian ad-
vance from the Carpathian Mountains
mad failed, the Germans evacuated the
village during intervals between Russian
attacks. The Austrian operations from
the Carpathians evidently formed an in
Legral part of the general plan of the
for the Warsaw campaign.
In Galicia the Russians have taken the
important town of Gorlice 10 miles south
Of Tuchow, where the Russians recently
halted the west Galician army of the |
Austrians, preventing it from Joining
with that OF General Boehm-E -ErmoIli,
which was advancing from sanok and
Lisko N1
Gorliee is the junction point OF several
running east, west and south
through the Carpathian district. The pur-
suit of the retreatihg AustrIans in the
5anok-Lsko district has been carried as
far as Jasliska, on the extreme left flank
of the Austrians. which has been cap
-ured. Jasliska commands the most i'm
oortant highway into Hungary.