The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-12-23
KAISER RETREATS
IN NORTH POLAND
Reinforced RI;5i...s I3--1J {!
El,Mj'S LII.
FIERCE F.GHTIaG IL EAST
Invaders Fall Back Into East Prussia
and Cars Troops Hold Region
Above EiStula.

Petrograd, Dec. 23.-Russia's hosts,
after the check caused by the deter
mined advance Of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg, in command of the Ger
man forces, are moving forward
again, and the kaiSerS armies, in the
region northwest OF Warsaw, are I'M
perillei by the new MuScOvlte att
tack.
The German army that invaded
north bland, by way of Mlawa, has
been l.pulsed, according to the war
office, and has been driven back into
east Prussia, where it holds a line
twenty-five miles long, between Mel
denburg and Lautenburg.
The once triumphant army of Ger
mans, which held the north bank OF
the Vistula and planned an attack on
Warsaw from the north has entirely
lost control in this region.
The heavy German column which
has been driven across the east PTus-
sian frontier is spreading out to the
east and west, according to reports
from the front.
The purpose of the German move
ment is to debouch to the right OF
the entrenched MaZur lake position
and to reinforce the troops in the vi
cinity of Thorn, for protection against
the continued Russian advance on the
llenstein-Insterburg railroad,
which is the main strategic line par
aleling the north Poland frontier.
The Russian success north of the
Vistula is not the only one they have
scored They have taken the offensive
west of Warsaw and have driven the
Germans back over the Bzura river.
Once more they have Strengthened
their line, and despite hard counter
attacks by the Germans are slowly
but surely rolling back the kaiser's
legions.
Almost daily for three weeks there
has been terrific fighting along the
Bzura river from Kamlon, where it
flows into the Vistula, southwestern
to Lowicz. The fighting has been no
less fierce along the Bzura'S tribu'
taries, the Utrata, Rawka, PISA and
Skierniewice rivers. There have been
occasional lulls in the fighting, but
these have been only brief.
For seventy-two hours Russians and
Germans fought hand-to-hand battle
for the possession of the ruins OF
Teresin, between the Utrata and the
Pisia rivers. This was a fiourishing
little town until the Germans made
their first attempt to take Warsaw
Since then it has been captured and
recaptured six times. 1t has been en-
tirely wrecked by the shells of the
opposing armies.
The great battle of western Galicia
may now be said to have begun. Con
facts are reported along the line from
Cracow to the Dunajec river and as
far east as PrzemysI. The garrison d
that fortress has made a determined
attempt to break a way out westward
In the direction of Bircza in the hope
of reaching the Carpathian passes
and rejoining the Austrian and Ger
man forces coming up for the great
battle.
The Russians are fighting in this
region under favorable conditions
and in one way or another Przemys
probably will not delay any consider
able force of the Russians very much
longer Perhaps the most important
news is that the western Galicia ad
vance of the Austro-German armies
has now been stopped.
Orders General to Take Warsaw.
Paris, Dec. 23.-The Journal states
that after a council with his minis
tiers, the kaiser telegraphed to Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg as follows:
az want to enter Warsaw, my new
capital, the first of the year. Do what
is necessary"
Won Hindenburg replied: 81 will