New-York tribune., 1914-11-18
.By cab, 20 7ns Tribun,

rs iaNI' - Ffe lftpnN'
Petrograd. Nov. i7-The Germans
have published to the world that their
retreat from Warsaw and lvangorod
WIS a strategic man9uvre for the bet
ter destruction Of the Russian armies.
Here is the hos. chat can be seid for
their contention. and ~ D.. comes from
Grand Duke Nicholas IL may 10 in
plicitly believed. though 10 in no way
really supports the German statements.
II was expected that tne Russian
armies would force the Germans 20
make stand before they reached
their oWn frontiers or fortified posi-
tions prepared behind the Wartha and
annihilate them as a fighting rorce.
The Grand Duke explains that-the rail
ways and ell metalled roads covered
by the German retreat have been so
thoroughly destroyed that everything
must be made anew. OF railway sta
tions. with all buildings. water towers,
switches. signal and point ooXer,
pumps and water pipes. there is scarce
" yestige. Rails have been blown
apart and bridges, large. small and even
insignificant. and water cOnduits nave
been blown 20 pieces. Metalled roads
have been dug up checker fashion
throughout their length. first on me
right and then on the left side. Te'e-
graph and telephone posts have been
thrown down. nsulators systematic
ally smashed. and the wires at every
other span cut entirely away.
Whatever may be thought Of Ger
man strategy and German qualities,
the present state Of Western Poland
leaves no two opinions possible about
the suDerhuman excellence Of the Ger
mans I'm the work Of destruction Of IN
animate objects.
The condition IN which the ways OF
communication were left by the Ger
mans i'm their rapid retreat prevented
their being followed up by sufficient
Russian forces 10 compel, battle, and
so FAR as this goes the Germans must
have the credit.
Russian cavalry kept pressing the
retreat closely right across the tron-
tier. the Germans being shepherded
rast their carefully prepared positions
behind the Wartha River. They could
not cross the Wartha. and the retreat
divided. leaving that reach OF the
Wertha which runs northward between
them. I'm the retreat they lost prac-
ticaly ali their cavalry, the horses
erccumbine 20 excessive demands on
.bcir STRENGTH combined with a short
age Of fodder.
Arrived al home, the Germans i'm
mediateiv utilized their network OF
strategic railways 20 throw large forces
ON the right flank of the Russians. ac-
cording 70 their customary practice.
After repeated and obstinate efforts
these have been driven back and COM
pelled 10 retreat without etgectlng any
thing, as the Russians m This region
were already in sufficient force 20 deal
with any fanking manGuvres.
Thus the East Prussian front was
never drawn upon to increase the front
that fought the Germanic advance
upon the Nistula. 1t is now compare
lively fresh, and is meeting the beaten
enemy.
At the present time the Germans
have turned about 10 advance again
upon Russia. Their want OF cavalry
has been met by withdrawing brigades
from the French front and taking all
available Austrian cavalry with them
into Germany.
The state of Polish roads has mill.
fated against Russian concentration OF
forces toward the German frontier. but
men are now there, and the German.
having advanced as far as Plock have
been engaged on the wide front be
+ tween the Vistula and the Wartha
/ The German front in this region eX-
tends some fifty miles from Ploch
through Lenczyca, where the line bends
sharply back TO reach the Wartha a.
Uneiof. a village on the east bank
sixteen miles south Of KolO. The bat
tie here still is in its preliminary
stages. officially described as develop
ing.