The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-20
NEWS FROM POLAND
D|SAPPO|NTS BERLIN
Newspapers of Capital Warn
German People Not to Ex-
peCt Too Great a Success.

LONDON, Dec. Cot is now appar-
ent from the German war office state
ments alone. and without accepting at
their face vaEIe the statements OF the
Russian general staff or of the cor
respondents in Petrograd. that the Rus
slams have suffered no important re-
verse. and that the outburst Of joy in
Berlin was premature.
Tho news from Berlin now is that
there is d appointment in the German
capital over the breS'ity of the official
dispatches and the failure of the gov
eminent to specify where and when the
great victory reported wr>s won. The
German newspapers are no~- and
minimizing the government claims ana
are warning the people that too much
must not be expected: thai it may be
several days before the successes OF
Won Hindenburg's forces can be de-
tailed.
Such facts as are available lead mill
tary critics TO believe that The Grand
Duke Nicholas is resorting to strategy
such as caused disaster to Invading
armies of Germans and Austrians' earlier
in the year-a withdrawal of h s. forces
to carefully selected ground where de-
lenses have been prepared and .whero
he plans to concentrate heavy lre-en-
forcements. There is no news whatever
indicating that the Russians have been
crushed or that they have Most very
heavily.
In front of Warsaw, on a. line from
sixteen to forty miles west of the city.
the Russians are beating h German
attacks and are gaining tn me neceS-
sary for the arrival OF Int as ol ireSli
troops. Unless the Germa !. can break
through the line OF deter and take
Warsaw With three or fou days, milf
tary experts believe. the RS ssians VIII
once more develop a fankint movement
that must compel the GermYns to take
the roads back to their own frontier.
So Icing as the Russians continue TO
menace Cracow and push oward the
SiIesian frontier the German Pperat ons
in Poland are profitless and San have
no important result except the npontlcal
advantage TO be gained If Warsaw can
be taken.
TN German army commanded BIZ Gen.
Won Francois, which was deteatted at
CIechanov in northwest Polanof, has
been driven over the border or southern
East Prussia. ~ -.
the official news OF both German and
russian war offices is that Won II notn-
burr. after q br lllsnt movement, mas
been stopped within two days march 81
warsaw, and that the German lett wilma
and right wing-East Fuss' anu
II
Austria's even more highly coiored
claims arc accounted for on the score
OF relieving Hungarian apprehension
Hungary appears to be aliNe with ulS-
a. fection-ashamed of Austrian weak
ness and furiously angry at Germany
domination
AS tho weeks go by it is increasingly
apparent that General JofTre. command
Ing in the west, and the Grand luke
Nicholas, commanding In the cast, are
working in perfect understanding ana
cooperation. The activity Of the Rus
stems q few weeks ago compelled thc
Germans 20 withdraw q considerable
number of troops from Belgium and
France. Immediately the allies TOOK
the offensive and have been pushing
back the German line at various import
ont points between the Belgian sea
coast and Alsacc.
Now It is reported that Germany an
tends to send troops from Poland 20 her
western battle front. II that occurs an
ether powerful offensive nloEeIlinein. On
tho part OF the Russians is conndently
expected.