Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-12-10
SsrmanS Driven Down ViStuIa
Says Correspondent.
RUSS COUP NARROWLY FAILS

Failure of One of Cars Generals to
Appear at Appointed Time Robs
Grand Duke Nicholas of Greatest
Victory of Modern Times-Losses
Heaviest of War.
London, Dec 4.-The Russians have
resumed the offensive in Western Po-
land and are driving the Germans
down the Vistula toward Thorn and
across the plains of Poland toward
the Warthe river.
The correspondent of the Tribuna
of Rome telegraphs from Petrograd
that tremendous efforts by the Ger
mans to break the Russian center
failed signally and that the Germans
have been compelled to retreat in or
der to avoid being surrounded once
more.
After being surrounded near Lodz,
the Tribuna correspondent says, the
Germans declined to consider the pos
sibility Of surrender and with the
most desperate courage ever seen in
any war threw themselves time after
time again walls of Russian bayonets
until they finally hewed through. Only
the unexplainable dilatoriness of an
able and trusted Russian General
robbed the Grand Duke Nicholas of
victory far greater than Eylau or
Leipsic or Waterloo.
Germans Make Desperate Attack.
On Nov. 80 the Germans followed
up their successful efforts for self
preservation by repeated and deter
mined efforts to break the Russian
center. Four army corps attacked
day and night, but were too exhausted
and depleted by losses to cut through.
Meanwhile, the Russian right wing
had reached Gombin and finally Plock,
on the Vistula and had placed itself
on the flank of the German army at
Lodz.
In this circumstance there was
only one possible course for Lieuten-
ant General Won Mackensen, with
drawal toward the Warthe, in order
to protect the main line of communi-
cations from Kaliscz being cut. At
Lask the German withdrawal stopped
for time, reinforcemments having
arrived from Posen and from north
ern Silesia by means of the splendid
railway system at the disposal Of the
attack at Lask and again the Ger
mans retired slowly. The news re-
ceived by the Tribuna is that the bat
tie is flowing back towards the River
Warthe, the Germans fighting a stub
bern rear guard action, the Russians
attempting to outfank them north and
south.
Correspondents in Petrograd esti-
mate from semi-official information
that the Germans lost 10000 men in
killed, wounded and prisoners, Le-
tween Nov. 13 and Dec. 2. The RlE-
sian losses have been very heavy. The
series of battles between Plock and
Petrokow have been the most san.
culinary and costly Of the war.
General Karl Won Rennenllampfs
failure to close the gap through which
the Germans finally broke prevented
a Russian triumph that would have
ended the campaign in stroke, but
military critics assert that the oper-
atiCns in Poland have been great
disappointment to German hopes
Nothing vital has been gained, al
though terrible price has been paid
and much of Importance has been
lost. Won Hindenburgs plunge
through Poland had three objects,
practically all Of first rate political
Importance, according to the critics,
but none Of essential military value.
One was to occupy Warsaw, another
to frighten the Russians out of East
Prussia, the third to relieve the strain
On Cracow.
Says Campaign Failed.
The second great attack toward
Warsaw appears to have failed as
completely as the first and although
the Germans escaped the Sedan pre-
dicted a week ago, they are never
theless in retreat and may have great
difficulty in keeping their forces in
tact. Powerful Russian armies are
soutl and north of the army retiring
from Lodz. The only object that the
Germans have achieved by the sacri-
fee of thousands Of their best sol