Evening journal., 1914-11-21
today 5 MOVES
IN THE WAR Zone,
What They MEAN
German Retreat From War
saw Shown To Be For
Strategic Purpose
MOVEMENT MAY have
weakened RUSSIAN Line
BY J. W. T. MASON

Press.
NEW YORK. Nov. 2l.-Ql a. N.Y.
General Won Hndenberg's new offensive
in Poland bears out the suggestion re-
Gently made in this column that the
German retreat from Warsaw, all the
way back TO the Pussion frontier was
done to enable the Germans TO make
use os their strategic railway system.
The opinion was expressed that Won
Hindcnberg would be able to use the
Prussian frontier railways for a more
rapid concentration than was possible
to the Russians, and would be i'm a po-
sition to force a battle at any point Sc
lected by himself.
This, undoubtedly, is what has oc-
Cured. Nevertheless. the rapid success
of the Germans is largely due to the
lack of Russian resistance, that by a
minimum calculation ought 10 have APP
peared when the German objective de-
velopcd The route selected by Won
Hindenberg for his second invasion OF
Poland is that which was followed dur
ing the initial march ON Warsaw, aud
is also the one over which the Germens
were forced back from the Nistula.
Won Hindenberg must have had rea-
son TO believe that the Russians were
not counting ON German resumption
of the offensive from the same direction
that had so lately proven unsuccessful
This, in fact, seems to have been the at
titude OF the Slavs, and apparently
caused them to concentrate IN the south
toward Cracow and in the north along
the East Prussian border But, even
with these new concentrations, there
should not normally have been left So
few Russians guarding the centre as &c
permit the Germans to recover almost
one half OF the recently lost Polish ter
ritory in so short a time.
The east OF Won Hindenberg's ad
vance suggests the Russian line hai
been weakened. The campaign agains
the Turks is not proceeding at all sat
| isfactorily and there is reason 70 be
I lieve that the Russian general stah
has begun diverting part of the armies
in Poland for the Asia Minor opera
tions. Instead of Withdrawing troops
from the Galician and East Prussan
offensives, the men apparently have
been recalled from the central part
of the battle front. This is the area
through which the Germans were
! driven back with suspicious ease by
] the Slavs after the campaign against
4 Warsaw failed. That the rapid retire
ment of the Germans was in reality
strategic and was due to the neces-
sity for reconcentrating. might easily
have been overlooked by the Russians
The desire to emphasize Russian mil
itary efficiency and Russian intellec-
tual might, is a dominant trait of Pc
trograd just now; il is probable the
central part of the battle line seemed
the safest from which to make with.
drawals for employment against the
Turks.
Finding the Russian centre weak
ened, Won Hindenberg apparently took
instant advantage and has driven 4
wedge far into Russian territory ono,
more.
The lure of Constantinople undoubt.
edly will assist him to retain his hold
and possibly TO push on still further
Hindenbergs earlier move upon Wal
saw was made at a time when Russia
had no distractions. Since then, the
Turkish temptation has arisen. How
far il will weaken the resistance Won
Hindenberg will encounter is a vastly
important secret of the future