Evening star., 1914-11-21
SUCCESSES FOR RUSSIANS
CLAIMED BY PETROGRAD
Germans Declared to Have Been Sc.
verely Checked in Attempt to
Break Through Line.
BATTLE RAGING NEAR LODI
Experts Think Its Outcome May
Have a Decisive Bearing on the
Campaign Along the Pol
ish Border.

BERLIN, November 81 '(by
wireless) )-"Germany has great
expectations concerning the out
come near LODI says an official
announcement handed to the
press today 1T is generally
taken for granted that the gigan-
tic Russian army, in spite OF its
great numerical superiority, is
seriously threatened by Gen. Won
-Hindenburgs ingenious strategy
and his spirited offensive move
ment.
The retreat of the Russians is
made difficult by the fact that the
Germans destroyed all railroads,
bridges and highways. A Rus
sian defeat here may decide the
entire campaign in the east, as
the Russians are without reserves
and lack arms, ammunition and
officers"
Germans Are Encouraged.
The steady progress reported day by
day from the eastern theater of war
is most encouraging to the military
critics and the public, and little anx-
iety for the safety of the frontier dis
triets is now manifested.
Ma; Moraht, military expert of the
TaGeblatt. expects full success for
Gems. Won Hindenburg and Dankl. He
thiAks the heavy Russian losses in
killed and prisoners has shaken the
morale of the Russians.
The continuance of the concentric
attacks on the north. west and SOUTH
he holds, places the Russians in an un-
enviable position.
Prussian frontier at Soldau and it's
vicinity are continuing their retreat
apparently toward the crossings of the
Vistula and the Bug at Novoe Geor-
The winery weather in the war thea
ters is considered to be of the greatest
Importance in the field operations, es-
pscially in the inundated districts of
Flanders Today's reports show that
1t is colder in the southwest and in the
northwest. Both Metz and Brussels
report a temperature below the freez-
ing point. The snowfall in the north
west has ceased, but is fairly general
in the east.
Decisive Victory Expected.
The opinion was expressed in. mill
tary circles here today that notwith-
standing the great number of Russian
troops in Poland. estimated at SOC. 900
excluding those in the Schirwindt
region, Gen. Won Hindenburg would
soon be able to report a decisive vic
tory The position of the Russian
forces is considered unfavorable. both
on account of the nature of the ground
and because such large forces are con-
centrated within Il comparatively small
territory.
Interest in the situation in the west
is momentarily eclipsed by that in the
east. Reports from Vienna tell of
successes in Galicia, including the oc-
cupation by the Teutonic allies of Tar
now and Wieliczka. According to these
Russian Claims of Victory.
PETROGRAD. November 21-The
Army Messenger. the official organ of
the general staff of the Russian army,
summing up recent operations in the
eastern arena of hostilities, publishes
the following:
THE Germans are making fresh ef-
forts to penetrate our front between
Lowicz and Skiernievice with the OBJ
ject of marching on Warsaw. 1t seems
that the enemy threw important forces
in this direction. The effort of the
Germans to march on Warsaw ny pene-
trating our front between Kielce and
Radon resulted in total failure. and
our troops forced the enemy to retire
along all this front. AS always in its
retreat, the German army lost enor-
nous numbers in dead. wounded and
prisoners, as we'll provision trains,
artillery and war material.
"On November IS important Austro-
German forces, supporting themselves
on the fortified country between Czens-
tochowa and Cracow, undertook an en-
ergetic offensive movement against our
troops. Repulsed on all this front with
heavy losses, the enemy endeavored a
fresh offensive movement. but again
our forces, by a counter-attack drove
them back with losses as heavy as
those which attended the first repulse
We took a large number of prisoners
1T is announced that there is furious
fighting in the region of CracoW the
Germans realizing that this position
with its strong fortifications, is their
last protected position on this front"
Severe Check for Germans.
LONDON, November 21-"The Ger.
man attempts to break through the
Russian armies in Poland have sus-
tained severe check. which. accord
Ing to present indications, is likely to
have decisive consequences for the en-
emy," says a dispatch from the Petro-
grad correspondent of the Times. The
message continues:
"The official report of the capture OF
a battery northwest of Lodz is ex-
tremely significant, suggesting the
nr0ha bilfty OF successful Russian
thanking movement from the direction
Of Piotrkow.
News was received last night o1
the arrival of large Russian reinforce