The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-01
RUSSIANS FACE
OBSTACLES IN
EAST PRUSSIA
Nature Has Provided Topography
That Makes Defense Easy

SLAMS in invading Germany are pointed
out 10y writer in the Chicago Tribune.
He says:
Considerable attention has been
drawn To Germany's eastern frontier
in the news dispatches OF the last few
days. This frontier henceforth will
continue TO grow in interest as the war
progresses, and IT may be OF interest
To investigate the military characters
les Of this theater of war.
"The first thing to be noticed is that
there is an entire absence OF noun
tains. as is the case on Germans
French and Austrian frontiers. Here
well defined river lines with marshy
borders take their place. The Oder
Wartha, Vistula, Nimen and Drina all
run northwest or north into the Baltic
sea and form successive obstacles TO
the march of armies from the east or
west
The shape Of the frontier is also Of
an unusual nature, IA Poland, extend
ing about 200 miles from north to
south, is sandwiched in between Ger
many and Austria.
1T will also be noticed that the Wis.,
tula river, rising in the Carpathians in
Austria. forms the south frontier of
Poland then, turning TO the north, cuts
across Poland and East Prussia.
The position of Silesia is also inter
| esting, as il is situated between the
Sudentic mountains on the Austrian
frontier and the wooded districts OF
Poland. II is rich in agriculture, mines
and TO il converge the main lines of
| communication from Bohemia, Mora
via, Galicia, and Poland, and all the
communications which unite eastern
| and western Europe pass through it,
The Carpathian mountains run in
/ side the Austrian frontier with Rus
STA. and are continued by the Transyl-
yanian Alps, To form the south Austri-
an frontier with Roumania.
| "Polands coniguration. therefore
exposes her to invasion from three
sides
Russian Advance Difficult.
ANY advance westward by Russia
through Poland exposes Russia to al
attack from the north or south on It's
line OF communications. Any Russian
movement through Poland would
| therefore be countered by German
forces concentrated in east Prussia anC
| Austrian forces in Galicia.
THE northern border OF east Prussif
lies on the Baltic. which is controlled
by the German navy. This great!
adds To the security OF any concentra
tion from the north.
There are several parts Of the coun
try which from their swampy am
marshy character deserve considera
ton. The part extending from tn
Pregel about 80 miles east Of Koenigs
burg south 10 the Russian frontier II
a swamp ana marshy country and als'
along the frontier between the Vistuli
and Wartha rivers.
Swamps Protect Russia.
ITO the south OF this the frontier Il
marked by succession Of grea
swampy forests. Here also the Ian,
is generally fiat, marshy. sandy. AM
all movements would be limited b.
roads that are bad.
THE chief German fortresses in thi
district are Koenigsberg, DantziG
Thorn, Posen and Glogan. The ode
river forms second line of defens
with the fortresses of Stettin an
Kustrin as strategical points. Thes
are all points of great natural an
artificial strength.
The railroad systems in east Prus
STA give Germany great strength i
this area both for offense and defense
These have innumerable branche
leading to all parts of the interio
and the frontier. There are two, /
some places three. separate railway
running all around the frontier b
Thorn, Posen, and Breslau, all cor
ncctcd with many lines to centra
Germany.
Breslau alone has seven differer
railway lines running out OF 1t, an
the frontier between Breslau an
Krakow is perfect network of rail
ways.
Germans Have Great Camp.
| lNiplu concentration AZ any pNii
| on the frontier is therefore ver
easy for Germany. The gauge of III
| German railways is 4 feet l2 inche
as are those Of the rest OF Europe
The gauge Of the Russian railways
| five feet however. The German cal
are all arranged. 80 that II is possib
| to extend the distance between II
wheels so that they can be used on Il
Russian railways.
"On the Russian side the railway
are few, far apart, single track for Il
most part with stations far apart. an
are not capable OF carrying anywhel
near the same amount Of traffic as Il
German railways.
The great military center of ives
ern Russia is Warsaw. 12O miles fro
Thorn on the German frontier.
Eighteen miles north of Thorn
Modlin (Novo- GeorgievkD at u
junction OF the Narev and Vistu
4 rivers and commanding them. The
two places form a great intrench'
camp capable OF accommodating 500
\ men, but requiring a garrison of 1900
IAN invasion OF Germany by Russ
| - .horofora difYicult and danRero,