Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-10-15
A GENERAL SURVEY OF
THE WAR

The moderate, brief government re-
ports contain striking evidences OF the
rapidly increasing danger Of the Ger
man armies and Of the German com
mander's realization that disaster is
imminent. Won Kluck's soldiers are
literally fighting back to back. They
are facing attack from the northwest,
the west and the south, where the al
lies are receiving endorsements OF
men and heavy guns. The allies have
mustered enough strength to with
stand assaults at the west center and
center while continuing the circling
movement. This movement seems to
be penetrating more and more toward
the rear of the German west flank. A
few miles more advance will seize
from Won Kluok every railroad depend
ed upon for communication with Bet
GUM But he has not been able to
lessen that strain, because attempts
to drive wedge through the allies
line have come to nothing.
The Official reports bring news OF
the German retreat all the nearer be-
cause efforts to break the VerdunToul
line OF fortresses have failed. Ground
gained by the Germans at st. Mihiel
has been lost The grip OF the allies
Is everywhere tightening.
News apart from battle reports sig.
mites an early withdrawal from
France. There is a report that the
German general STAFF has moved from
Gutenberg to Mainz: that the Ger
mans are preparing to withdraw from
Brussels, and that the preparations for
the defense of Cologne are being rush
ed The line of retreat through Bel
gium already Is threatened
Continue to Push Forward.
The clash between the Russians and
the German armies Is at its height
west or the Nieman, close to the Ger
man frontier. The belief Is held that
there is little likelihood of any attempt
by the Germans to try to descend on
the Baltic coast, although German
ships last week were showing great
deal of activity off the stretch OF coast
line between Windau and Memel-the
only piece OF Russian shore line that
offers chance for German offensive
operations. Whether or not there
were German troops aboard the trans.
ports which sailed off with their es
oort after taking soundings, is not
known.
The steady widening Of ne German
battle line clearly indicates that the
Germans are receiving reinforcements
in considerable numbers. The last
German effort was made with a battle
line seventy-four miles long. or stretch
ing from the Russian Poland town OF
Simmo to Ossowiecz.
Russias Great Army.
In addition to 100000 Russians
concentrated along the Nieman, an
other 100000 Russians are engaged
In the Galicia campaign, and more
than q million more are advancing
from Warsaw, headed toward Silesia,
1t is said that an average OF 10000
troops are reinforcing the Russian
armies daily, thus proving that the
Russian mobilization is being contin-
ued without interruption and that con.
tingents from the most remote Rus.
sian provinces are streaming toward
the battle line in unbroken ranks.
The operations near the East Prus-
sian frontier on the Russian Poland
side are steadily increasing In fury
In the battle of Drusseniki two Ger
man divisions were wiped out by the
Russians.
Disaster Is Imminent.
Credible accounts Of the operations
of the past few days along the whole
German frontier from Koenigsberg tc
Cracow indicate a German setback
comparable to the failure of the lnya
sion of France.
Colonel Shumsky, military expert Of
the Bourse Gazette of Petrosad, takes
the view that all operations point tc
Cracow and southeastern Silesia al
the coming theater of conflict.
THE German armies and the routed
Austrian forces are now Fastening
toward Cracow," Colonel Shumsky
writes, "the intention being evidently
to concentrate mass of troops be
tween Cracow and Breslau, in order tc
advance on the right bank of the Wis
tula and compel the Russians to evac
uate Galicia or to accept a decisive
battle"
General Won Hindenberg, the Ger
man commander in chief In the east
has arrived at Cracow and has taken
command Of the Austrians and Ger
ans concentrated in that region. Al
the news indicates that Russia is sue
eessfully following the plans Of hei
general staff to paralyze German in
itiative along the Prussian- Poland
frontier while Fastening an advance IN