Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-21

COURSE OF THE
EUROPEAN WAR
Battles on Land and Sea, and the
Weeks Effect on the General
Situation.

Situation.
Russian reverses were the important
feature this week OF operations in the
world war. Physical conditions brought
lull in the campaign in France and
Belgium, but the Germans renewed a
powerful offensive in Poland while the
Turks drove the Russian invaders from
Armenia. 1t again may be the Russian
strategy to draw the Germans on into
Poland as before and then deliver
telling blow. Nevertheless. the KaIsers
forces have struck the Russians efeec-
lively. About $1,000 prisoners are reported
taken by the Germans. It was doubtless
merely the advance guard OF Cossaoks
whom the Turks have driven back from
Transcaucasia The Gar II appears, has
ample troops to send against the Turks,
who obviously are fighting under Ger
man army leaders-they have been sur
rrisingly successful, even for Turks.
Back and forth the battle line IN
France and Belgium shifts. now by
yards instead Of miles. The armies arc
so strong the resources SO great, the de-
lenses so powerful that ANYTHING an
preaching decision is impossible. The vast
battle array wrlggles INCREASINGLY as
thousands are crushed in the movement
IL B battle OF endurance
with the low lands so flooded that
large movements of troops are made aim
cult the campaign in West Flanders has
been pressed with less vigor in the Inst
week than at any time before since tho
two armies came in contact along the
User. Neither side has made important
gains, as there have been relatively few
infantry engagements. The artillery.
however, has kept UP a ceaseless fire,
ana the losses In the trenches have been
heaNN while terrific storms driving It,
from the North Sea have caused great
suffering
scattered engagements along the AIsne
nave resulted In no decided advantage.
In the Argonna region and along the
Meuse the Allies attempted q forward
movement st. Mihiel. held by the Ger.
sII IiIaus Ior SIX weeks, was attacked and a
lootIns there was secured, but apparently
TINS advantage was only temporary.
While Paris has been silent as 10 later
developments, Berlin reported that the
tfench advance at that point had broken
down. " 'Neh
Driving forward in a new offensive
from their point of concentration alone
the Warthe River tho Germans bo,,o
turned their former retreat into n fresh
uuVance which has swept the Cars
1orces back to Plock on the VIstula and
TO the Bsura River and checked the main
RUSSIAN movement against Posen and
Sllesia. Berlin acclaims the new ad-
MNante M as triumph both Of action and
strategy and Petrograd's admission of
German advantage is mixed with fenr
that a new dash on Warsaw is imminent
Furious battle has DEVELOPED along n "a
nue front between the Warthe and
Nistula Rivers and the week ends with
tne outcome In doubt. Apparently the
~haiser ~ mas resained third of the ground
lost during the flight from Warsaw, Rua-
Sian troops are still over the Germnn
frontier at Posen, but no advance has
peen made Into the interior. pendIn1 -,
decision In the new vistula battle
russians have been pushed back over
thelr own frontier at Mlawa as a result
vi terrlhc rour days fight at Soldau.
with tho capture OF which n nev, entr,
had been made into East Prussia rbj.
is the Berlin version; PetroRrad oIso
claims the advantage at Soldau Farther
east the Russian advance has been I'M
checked, the army from Suwalki having
gained the strategic ground of the Ma
zurian Lakes, with AllensteIn and TCoe-
nigsberg as detectives.
Cracow was invested by the Russian
column from Poland. but assault waits
the arrival OF the other column moving
through GaliciR. Unofficial sources re-
ported the city In flames on the north.
Servia has sent an envoy to Russia to
seek help for its armies, reduced from
100000 to 10000 Austrians have pushed
forward to Valjevo. south of Belgrade.
which now Is subject to a rear attack
as well as bombardment across the Dam
ube.
Loyalist troops have defeated tho Boer
rebels In several engagements.
Turkish successes in the Armenian cam
paign surprised the world. The Russian
advance guard after terrific sweep into
Transcaucasia was suddenly halted and
then driven back across the border. Thou
sands were taken prisoners and 1000
rifles were seized in two days.
The Russians apparently recovered
somewhat from the repulse in Armenia
and pressed toward Erzerum. They cap
tured Tutach Thursday and. probably re-
inforced moved against the Turkish
stronghold. The Sultan's forces in great
number are about Batum. the strong
Russian Black Sea port and bloody
conflict is expected.
Invasion of Egypt. at first ridiculed.
already has begun. The Turks have
captured KalRtalnAht. 70 miles across the
frontier. British forces have rspulsed the
Turks at Fac on the Persian Gulf. Tre-
bizond on the Black Sea has been bonn
barded.
The United States cruiser Tennessee at
Smyrna reported that the Turkish forts
there fired upon United States marines
in the cruisers launch about TO land.
Lacking full details, the State Department
requested an immediate explanation,
meanwhile holding to the belief that the
shots were fired as a friendly warning
against mines In the harbOr. President
Wilson is positive in his stand that the
incident shall not involve the United
States in war against Turkey.
One Of the sensations OF the week was
news OF the sinking OF the great British
dreadnought AudaeiouH on the Irish
coast The leViathan struck mine, ac-
eording TO the story, unconirmed by ths
British Admiralty, and her crow OF 800
were rescued by the liner Olympic 1t Is
said the Admiralty concealed the loss OF
the 5.O0O-ton warship, built last year. hop
ing she might be raised before the dis
aster became known. Hints that a sub
marine sank the Audacious were not gen
orally accepted.
Naval operations were maneuysTs large
IT, but probably significant. The Rus
sian hest was reported leaving its Baltic
base az Helingsfors, and rumors we're that
- a. kaH NJ amazed Lha Gar