The midland journal., 1915-08-13
WARSAW TAKEN
BY THE GERMANS
Bayarian Troops First to Enter
the City.
czAR's ARMY HARD PRESSED
German Forces May Now Swing To
the Western Field Prob
able Attack On
Serbia

London.-The Germans are in pos
session of Warsaw, capital of Poland,
and the third largest city in the Rus
sian empire. Bavarian troops entered
the city, having taken successfully
the Blonit lines and the outer and
inner fortresses of the city itself, the
Russians only fighting rear guard
actions to allow their main army to
make good its escape.
While to the Bavarians, commanded
| by Prince Leopold, has fallen the
honor of taking over Warsaw in the
name of the German Emperor and his
consort, who are expected to make a
state entry within a few days. the real
conquerors are the troops fighting
under Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
along the Narew River to the north
east; to the Austro-Germans, who
crossed the Vistula to the south of the
city, and to the armies Of the Austrian
Archduke Joseph Ferdinand and the
German Field Marshal Won Macken-
sen. which are advancing northward
between the Vistula and Bug Rivers.
Fighting Desperately.
The Russians are fighting desperate
| ly and stubbornly to check the prog
ress of these four armies and have had
several successes, infiicting heavy
losses on their pursuers, but they are
being steadily pressed back, which
made the longer occupation Of the
/ ho1 I'D
dertaking.
Even now, although the steadiness
of the Russian troops and their fierce
counter-attack have gained much val
liable time for them, 1t Is problematical
whether the whole Russian Army will
succeed in reaching the new positions
chosen for it or whether, If it should
get there, it will not find those posi-
tions turned by the Austrians, who
have crossed the Bug southeast of
Chelm, and the Germans under Cen
erals Won Scholz and Won Gallwitz,
who have crossed the Narew.
Three Traps Set.
Indeed, the Austro-Germans have set
three traps to catch and destroy the
Russian Army. None of them was
sprung, but one was so near to clos
ing that Grand Duke Nicholas was
forced to evacuate Warsaw and now is
fighting with all his might to prevent
the others from cutting off his retreat.
Thus far he seemingly has been sue
cessful, for although the Germans
claim the capture of large number
of prisoners, the aggregate is small
when compared with the immense
forces engaged. In addition, the Rus
sian guns apparently are well on their
way to the rear.
From refugees who left Warsaw
some days ago and have arrived at
Moscow it has been learned that War
saw even at that early date had been
denuded Of virtually everything that
might be useful to the Teutons. Fac
tories had been stripped of their ma
chinery and all war stores moved into
the interior of Russia and the govern
ment of the city left to the Polish
population.
The Russians also are preparing to
evacuate Riga, the port on the guilt
Of that name in the north. The ar
rival Of the Germans 10 miles south
of that city already has been the cause
of the civilian population departing.
Since early in May when they
started their great counter offensive
in Western Galicia against the Rus
slams, who were debouching through
the Carpathians on to the plains of
Hungary, the troops of the Germanic
powers had cleared the Russians out
of Galicia, with the exception of a
narrow strip of territory in the south
west, have recaptured Przemysl and
Lemberg, taken Lublin, Chelm and
Warsaw and are In military occupation
of virtually the whole of Poland
What their next move will be is a
matter of conjecture. Some military
observers believe they will continue
to attack the Russians in the hope of
finally crushing them-a task which,
it is considered, is rendered difficult
by the fact that the Russians in their
retreat lay the country waste, making
it necessary for the invaders to bring
up every ounce of food required for
their army.
The occupation of Warsaw also will
have the effect of releasing large Ger
man forces, long concentrated on the
reduction of the city, and permit them
to turn westward for renewed opera
tions against the Anglo-French Allies