Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-20
Lack Of Details Leads People to Be-
Geve Announcement of Great
Victory is Premature.
PETRoGRAD HAS LITTLE TO SAY
Russian Reports Do Not Admit seri-
Gus Defeat at Any Point.
VICTORY IN MLAwA REGION
German Reverse There said 20 In
tersere with Operations Along
the VistuIa--siege of
CracOw Continues.

I.ONpON, Dec. 19.-The co-ordi-
nation of military movements In the
east and west, which has been OBJ
served since the commencement of
the war. is now shown In a striking
way in the offensive movement of
the allies In northern France and
Flanders, keeping the Germans en-
gagged and preventing them from
sending reinforcements eastward.
The allies claim gains in Flanders
and France during the last few days,
which are said to counterbalance
German advances in Poland.
Progress OF the allies in the vicinity Of
I'abassee. where the Germans had eiung
tenhoiously to their positions for so many
weeks, Is regarded here as particularly
noteworthy as the Germans spear point
there had presented an Irritating prob
lem. The advance Of the allies thus far
has been slow. but British military critics
expect It to gain impetus.
berlin Begina co Doubt.
British and French military writer's say
that tho doubts expressed by them of
the correctness OF the German announce
ment that a historic victory had been won
over the Russian hosts In Poland ars
borne out by the apparent lessening or
enthusiasm at Berlin. where the atmos-
phare during the last two days was sur
! charged with expberant rejoicing. Tho
Berlin Vorwaerts rebukes it's colleagues
for what It calls their Exaggerated de-
ductions' from the vague information
J available.
1t Is evident that Grand Duke Nicholas
has drawn In n portion Of the Russian
front from the Lowicz-Ilow line to en-
trenohments nearer Warsaw. There has
been no admission from Petrograd. how
ever. OF any serious reverses In the field
Of operations along the Vistula river
such as must necessarily have preceded n
general German victory. II is regarded
here as quite possible that the Teutonic
allies have scored successes in some To-
calities, although there is no information
available as to their time or location.
| Reverse for Teutons at MIawa.
The reverse which Petrograd says the
Germans have suffered in the region of
Mlawa, near the east Prussian frontier,
is believed in London to have interfe<ed
with the operations OF the. Germans along
4 the Nistula,
| 1t is asserted unofficiaIly at Petrograd
that the Germans have evacuated Lodz.
find that city of no greater strategic
value to them than II was to the Rus
SLAMS Last nights official commnnioa-
ton from the Russian war office stated
definitely that all Austro-German at
taoks along the left bank OF the vistula
which have been in progress for several
days have been repulsed.
Whatever are the facts OF the situation
in the Vistuia region. the present out
look there apparently Is exerting no in
fluence on the crucial operations to tho
south around Cracow. The Russian forces
which are threatening the old Polish cap
ital and the Silesian frontier, remain
fixed In their positions. and the Austrian
rally, which brought back the Teutonic
forces across the Csrpathians, seems 70
have met with a check.