Evening star., 1914-12-31

thereof. However. the plans OF TINS
Russian staff are unknown, and hence
il is not impossible that 1t still in.
tends holding the region west OF tht
Vistula, with political prestige as the
factor, despite the dangers attending
such plan.
slams north Of the Pilica will settle the
fate of the army operating In Galicia.
Think Germans Are Checked.
PETRoGRAD. December 81. via Lon
don.-The Russian view of the military
situation in Poland. in the light OF re-
cent developments, is that definite
check has been administered to the
Germans. The evacuation by the Ger
mans of the village of Mistrzewice. five
miles north of Sechaczew. related OF,
fcially by the war office. fs regardeo
by military critics here as ringing
down the curtain on the third 1er-
man advance toward WARSAW.
At a tremendous loss to themselves.
the Germans had succeeded In estaD-
fishing foothold in Mistrzewfse. on
the east bank of the Bzura river. put
their persistent sledge-hammer attacks
during the last three weeks failed to
penetrate the Russian line before War
saw. The Germans steadily threw re-
Endorsements into the town, in an en-
deavor to extend their position along
the river. When ii became evident that
the Austrian advance from the Car
pathian mountains had failed. the Ger
mans evacuated the village during In
tervals between Russian attacks. The
Austrian operations from the Carpa-
ihians evidently formed an integral
part of the general plan Of the Ger
mans for the Warsaw campaign.
Bringing Up Big Guns.
Heavy artillery is being brought up
by the Germans along their center be-
TWEEN Skierniewice and the Pilica river.
This is regarded here as purely de-
fensive move, designed to prevent the
breaking of the German line by the
Russian infantry forces which are oper-
ating there under the cover of artillery.
Unofficial reports from the Warsaw
front state that in comparison with the
heavy artillery duels. the infantry
operations are mere episodes.
In Galicia the Russians have taken
the important town of Gorltce, fifteen
miles south of Tuchow. where the Rus
slams recently halted the West Gai1clan
army of the Austrians, preventing II
from joining with that OF Gen. Boehm-
Ermolli, which was advancing from
Sanck-Lisko.
Gorlice is the junction point of sew
eral railroads running east. west and
south through the Carpathan district.
The pursuit of the retreating AuStrtans
in the Sanck-Lisko district has been
carried as far as Yaslisk. on the ex-
treme left flank of the Austrians,
which has been captured. Yaslisk
commands the most important highway
into Hungary.
Hungarian prisoners arriving at
Kiey state that their commanders, in
addressing the troops previous to the
advance, said that the result of the
campaign would be the reoccupation
of Lemberg by the Austrians and the
capture of Warsaw by the Germans
and that subsequent operations as di-
rected by the German general staff
would decide the war.
Enormous Losses Reported.
LEMBERG, Galicia, December 81, via
London.-The simultaneous attacks of
the Austrians in western Galicia and
from the Carpathians proved to be a
complete failure. Unofficial reports
reaching here state that the losses of
the Austrians were enormous, and that
the Russians have taken as many as
$4,000 prisoners, including many Ger
mans.
Trainloads of guns and other war
booty pass daily through Lemberg.