New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-03
Russia's Clearing Operations in th'
Eastern War Theatre.

- tha vast there has been constant hard ngnt-
ing. but no very pronounced success for either
side at any point In the east two important
victories have been admitted, the first won by
tho Germans. near Allenstein, East Prussia ana
the second, won by the Russians near Lemoerg'
the capital Of Gaicia.
Zach Of these actions will have considerable
effect on the eastern campaign. The checK near
Allenstein will END for a time the Russian al
vance toward the German fortresses on the line
OF tina Vistula River from DantEic south to Thorn'
Thu Russian army which was defeated evidently
csros from Northern Poland and was operating in
conjunction with the army which entered East
Prussia from Kovno, marched west to InsterOurg
and then turned to the northwest to invest
KSn,1aber1 At st. Petersburg-now Petrograd
4. :. asserted that the Russians still hold Allen
stein. But even If they do they will prooaoy
not be able to advance to the Vistua IN force TOT
some weeks to coma
The invasion of East Prussia was clearing
operation. The Russians could hardly have IN
tended to make their main attack on Berlin along
that line, since 1t was possible for them to AVOID
the strong German defences on the vistula by
entering the province of Posen from Western
Poland thus putting themselves in the rear OF
Dantzic, Dirischau, Graudenz and Thorn. But 1t
was necessary to clear Eastern Prussia up to the
vistula in order to protect from that side move
ment west through Poland.
oil INF n
and Austrian territory. 1t is surrounded on the
north and west by the German provinces OF East
and West Prussia, Posen and Silesia, and on the
south by the Austrian province of Galicia. 1t Is
open to attack on three Sides and Russian strategy
required preliminary clearing movement on the
south in Galicia, as we'll as on the north in East
Prussia.
Russian armies based on Kiev and Brest-Lvosk
have invaded Galicia from the northeast and from
the southeast, with Lemberg, the capital of the
province, as their objective. These armies seem
to be sweeping everything before them since even
Austrian sources admit that Lemberg has been
evacuated and that the Austrian right army is in
fun retreat toward the Carpathian Mountains.
The success Of the Russians on their extreme
left must have a damaging effect on the Austrian
campaign little further west. Ten days ago, the
Augtrians, advancing from Cracow, invaded Po-
land. Crossing east Of the Vistula they drove the
Russians north toward Lublin. Since then the
Russians, strongly reinforced, have been carrying
on a weeks engagement south Of Lublin. They
claim to be driving the Austrians back toward the
border But the occupation Of Lemberg and Jar
osIav by the Russian southern armies brings q
big force almost on the line Of the second Austrian
army's retreat toward Cracow. Unless the Aus
TRANS extricats themselves rapidly. they will be
caught in a wise and their diSorderly retirement
viii uncover Cracow and all the western half of
Galicia.
II both the Austrian armies are thrown back
into the Carpathian Mountains, which separate
Galicia from Hungary, they can be held there by
Russian reserve troops coming up while the first
line troops push on west into Prussian silesia and
Posen The Berlin General STAFF is probably more
concerned about such a movement than 1t is about
any threat of an invasion through East and West
Prussia across the Vistula. Once the Russians get
into Posen there is nothing to stop them in the
way Of Notifications until the line Of the Oder
River is reached, and the Oder at Frankfort is
only fifty miles from Berlin.
In order to check the development of the Rus
sian offensive in Galicia tho Germans have sent a
force from Breslau into Western Poland and now
claim to have occupied LODI. city reached by
their cavalry soon after the beginning Of the war
That movement was meant to menace the Russian
operations in the neighborhood Of Lublin. But If
the Russians have won there and the Austrians
retreat to Cracow, tho German offensive at LOds
win probably not long be vigorously maintained.
The Germans have hardly more men in the East
than ara needed for purely defensive campaign.
They would play Russia's game by attempting
to invade Poland and by risking the losses in
volved IN trying to crush the greatly superior
forces Of the enemy.
The Russians have met with reverses as well
as successes But the progress made by them in
the arst month Of the war has far exceeded all