The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-08-15
HALF MILLION MEN
INVADE GERMANY
RUSSIA EXECUTES SURPRISING
MANEUVER IN ATTACK
ON TEUTON.
PRUSSIANS ENTER FINLAND
Kaiser, Planning First to Crush the
French, Then Engage Russia,
Seems to Have Been Outwitted.
Western Newspaper Union New. Service.

western Newspaper Union New. Service
London.-Germany and Russia each
launched an army across the border
Saturday.
A full army corps of 10000 of the
kaiser's fighting army invaded Finland,
landing at Ekenaes. and is marching
toward Helsingfors. 100 miles away.
Helsingfors, on the Gulf of Finland,
was reported shelled and captured by
the German fleet.
From HeIsingfors it is but $50 miles
TO St Petersburg, and there is a direct
railway line.
Russia's blow at Germany, IL the re-
port be true, is one of vastly greater
weight. The st. Petersburg CORE
spondent of the London Standard ca
bles his paper that 100000 Russian SOL
diers with 700 heavy guns crossed the
border Friday at some point unnamed
and are now marching into the kaiser's
domains.
TO back up this great array, the mob
ilization orders of Russia include
pretty nearly every fighting man in
the empire and six million are called
to arms. The war is intensely popular
with all classes.
IL the size of the Russian invading
army is correctly reported, it makes
the situation grave for the kaiser.
There is no doubt that he has count
ed on the proverbial slowness of the
Russians in getting under way, and
had confidently expected by a brilliant
stroke to strike his adversaries one
by one.
By ignoring the neutrality of Bel
gium he meant to swing an immense
force into unprotected France, crush
the troops thrown out to oppose him,
march into Paris and dictate the terms
Of peace before Russia could get under
way.
Then, with troops flushed with vic
tory, he could rush them back across
Germany and meet the Russians at the
border, or. perhaps, even anticipate
their slow movements and strike at
them on their grounds before they
were ready to invade his empire.
The mobilization of the Russians
has been a revelation to the world.
Enthusiastic for war against tie Ger
mans, the men have rushed to their
posts and taken trains for the front
at rate not thought possible, and they
are ready to strike.
On the other hand, the hornets nest
in Belgium was Just as little expect
ed by the kaiser, and instead of max
ing quick work Of France his army sent
bined French, British and Belgian
armies, and will rather need help
than be able to give it.
The suggestion that comes from Co
penhagen with the dispatch telling of
the German invasion of Finland is that
the Germans are actually setting out
for st. Petersburg.
Unless this force of 10000 is merely
an advance guard Of an immense army,
the suggestion Is not to be taken seri-
ously. In that land of vast distances
a single army corps would never dare
go so far from its base without a
strong force to keep open communica-
tions. But IL the kaiser is prepared to
back up this advance corps with sew
eral more, the invasion might become
a serious menace.
A third event along the Russian
frontier was the reported invasion of
Russia by the Austrian troops St
announces that Austro-
troops have crossed the bor-
der from Galicia, in northeastern Hun
gary, and are now near Radziwille.
This is almost equidistant from the
Russian city of Kiev and the Russian
Poland city of Warsaw, reported evac-
uated by the Russians. The force
NAV be intended to move on either
place.
The Austrian force along the Rus
sian border now consists of 10000
troops. of which $4,000 are cavalry.
Austria is assembling another 100000
men with which to menace the Podo-
liam frontier, but it is not expected
that they will be in position to offer
battle for ten days at least. The
Austrians have blown up the bridge
over the boundary river, Zbrutch. near
which is about seven
miles south of the Russian border.
Chief among the minor Clashes
along the Russo-German border an at
tack by a Russian cavalry brigade on
the Germans at Soluda, in East Prus-
ala. The Russians were repulsed.
A.