Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-12-17
/, RUSSIANS
MENAACINNG
GERM ANY
The Cars Armies
Advancing.
AN ENORMOUS FORCE
Vast Military Movement Slowly
COnveTging
CRACOW REPORTED FALLEN
Significant RumOr Of Battles
Progress Not Confirmed.
CRACOW REPORTED FALLEN
Significant RumOr Of Battle S
Progress Not Confirmed.

London special: The situation in
the eastern theater Of war is summar-
lied by military critics as more favor
able to Russia than at any time since
the outbreak OF hostilities three and
half months ago Germany and Aus
tria have failed twice in powerful Of
fengive movements and now are en-
tirely concerned with the problem of
blocking the Russians from German
territory
In this they have not been wholly
successful. since Russian troops are
turther within East Prussia than ever
before and have even broken through
the Warthe line in west Poland and
gained foothold at various points In
Posen and Siesia. This appears to be
due not 50 much to the weakness OF
the German resistance as to the con-
stantly growing power of the Russian
attack and to the superior generalship
Of the Russian commander in chief.
Russia has been able not merely to re-
pair losses, but to add at least 100000
trained troops to her first line armies
every month.
On the Russian Right.
Seven Russian armies, numbering
100000 men, are now attempting to
close In on Germany On the Russian
right wing two armies are advancing
toward the East Prussian defense line
OF Dantzig- Thorn with the obvious pur-
pose of holding the River Vistula from
the Baltic to Thorn and making any
sssurning movement by the Germans In
the north impossible when the central
armies, now advancing in west Poland
against Breslau, are ready to strike
with full force. The first army holds
Stalluponen and the railway line to
Gumbinnen and Tnsterburg, and is be
1ieved to have occupied probably TWEEN
ty-f1ve or thirty miles of German ter
ritory. The second army, cooperating
with great energy, is advancing in an
entirely new line toward the north
west and has gained foothold at Sol
dau, johannesburg and the region
south OF Allenstein. There are re-
ports that the Germans are attempting
an offensive movement from Thorn,
where they have concentrated new
troops.
The Campaign In Poland.
In Poland three Russian armies are
attacking the frontier of Posen and
Eilesia, concerned for the moment with
driving every German detachment
from Polish soil A fourth Russian
army has broken through the German
defense at the Warthe and has puahed
an advance guard into Posen. holding
a position at Pleschen. A fifth. NOV
ing southwestward. is at the gates OF
Cracow, and, according to official an
nouncements In Petrograd, Is attack
ing the outer defenses of the city
There are unofficial reports that this
army's right wing has occupied Cen
stachova.
Two Russian armies are operating
in Galicia. One is nearing Cracow,
having captured Tarnow sixty-five
miles to the east, and having reached
the River Dunaiee 1t is reported that
cavalry has crested the Dunajee and
is raiding considerably west Of that
city. This army is cooperating with
the fifth Russian array advancing on
Cracow from the northeast The two
forGs are rapidly converging with
Their advance guards within forty to
Hfty miles Of contact there is ru-
v1aor current In Petrograd and repeat
ed from Rome that Cracow has fallen
to the Russians, but It Is believed here
that the report Is premature.
AustrIans Hard Driven.
The seventh Russian army, very &C
tive IN central Galicia, Is engaged In
the business Of driving the Austrians
into Hungary and appears to be &C
complishing it's tas'- effectively. It has
si' na-n i e'9w a. nd e. org RI z
pressing the Austri MS southwark and
westward.
A dispatch from Berlin forwarded by
way OF Copenhagen, says tha' the Aus
trian general stat has ordered an Of
fensive movement with al possible
force AGAINST the serTiens IN the hope
Of ending the Ralltsn III Of the war
before winter sets in es'i 70 releasing
further Aust~ian trcoes for service
against the 3ussiars. An oTeial state
ment issued in visn7a on-ritF that the
AUSTRIAN troorc wI,s b are TRADING
Servia have met WITH fierce resist
ance at .Valsevo which they have not
yet succeeded In overcoming