Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-22
RUSSIAN HORbES1T, /
BAFFLE GERMANS
IN FIERCE ONRUSH
Avalanches of Troops, With
Terrific Cossack Raids.
Overwhelm East Prussia.
Celerity Marks Moves.
PETRoGRAn- San. ..

PETRoGRAD Sept "a
Such success as has come to the pu.
sian armies against the Germans in la,
Prussia has proved welcome surnr,,.
to many of the veteran troops of tbo
Car who. at the beginning of the rre.,
European war, still smarted from IN.
effects of their defeats by the Japanes.
There has been a change in the cond,.
tion of things on the Russo Gerrns,
frontier that might surprise even ma,
sons familiar with the Russian plan Of
campaign. One Russian officer at leas,
who may be regarded as a reliable an.
thority, has been much surprised by tho
rapid progress of the Russian advance
Originally five Russian army cornz
were ordered to the Austrian frontier
for the purpose of delaying the Austrian
advance If 1t should be directed against
that line. However, the Russian Con.
eral Staff was quite convinced that tha
main attack would aim at Warsaw
through Poland and to meet that at.
tack two new army corps were sent for.
ward, and at the same time the cavalrv
on the left flank tChotin and Klelce).
was strengthened.
The Austrian invading army met only
weak opposition in Poland, and the two
Russian corps appeared to retire.
Suddenly the Russian cavalry in ths
South, that is to say, on the left wing,
based on Kielce, took the offensive. At
the same time the Russian army was
ready to pour her enormous masses inta
Prussia from the northeast frontier
The great Russian mobilization waA
ready several days before Germany had|
expected, and just at the moment whenI
Germany should have made her decisvd
blow at France and been able to spare
her first line troops for meeting the Prus5
sian attack This plan became failure,
Now, Russia has more than two and
one-half million troops in the northeast
corner of Prussia alone, and the Cossacld
cavalary number 10000. in seven battle
divisions. The German defence against
this avalanche consists of second line
reservists, not more than 100000 strong,
already retiring to the row of forts along
the Nistula between Konigsberg. Marien-
burg, and Torn.
However, this line will be difficult to
force by an invading army; it will be
more difficult for the reservist army.
tS''N
Maxim guns. to defend.
The effect of this heavy Russian at
tack is noticeable everywhere in the east
of Prussia, and over Berlin is cloud of
stern pressure. People are leaving their
homes in fright of the Cossack hordes.
who are spreading with an enormous
celerity.
There are still about 10000 Russians III
Germany in n distressful plight More
than 10000 of the German Russians have
left during the last two weeks to return
home by way of Sweden. All of them
were lacking the ordinary necessaries Of
life, but the Swedish people everywhere
have tried to lessen their sufferings, and
at the main railway functions, where
the special trains stopped. Swedish ladies
have distributed food and rugs, ETC.,
among the miserable people. They all
tell the most appalling stories of the
rough treatment they have met with at
several places in Germany, but at tha
same time they tell many stories of Ger
man courtesy and chlvalrous behavior
toward the female fugitives.