The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-08-26
the battle lines are concerned.


The most severe fighting in this re-
gion is in the section between the
Narew and the Bug. The German
offense is still directed against a rail-
road, the one running northeast from
Brest-Litovsk through Bielsk and
Bialystok, thence to Grodno and Viii
ma. This road from Brest-Litovsk to
Grodno is along the first line of Rus
sian defense, and is, for this reason.
vastly more important and must be
held is Russia still hopes to make a
stand on the line joining these two
fortresses. Moreover, it parallels the
present Russian front, and by means
OF important branches feeds directly
the Russian battle line.
North of Grodno the Russian line
OF defense follows generally the Me
men River. and was intended to pass
through Kovno. But the Germans
have upset all the Russian plans by
storming and finally Capturing this
fortress, thereby imperilling the en-
tire Russian right wing. At. Kovno
considerable material was captured
and reported. emphasizing the failure
to report such capture in connection
with the Warsaw success.
Not only does it expose the flank of
this line, but 1t also opens the way to
wilma, an open town, against which
the Germans are advancing. In
fact, their aviators have actully been
bombarding 1t. wilma is also on the
main railroad from Warsaw to Petro-
grad; and is at the junction of an
other road running south of Rovno.
But 1t is the Petrograd road that will
hurt. BY taking Wilma the Teutons
will absolutely control, through the
control of two termini. about two
hundred and fifty miles of this artery
There Is another danger still that
Is fully as menacing and it Is begin
ih 1g to appear; the successful retreat
from WARSAW was a step out of the
frying pan into the fire. Having fail
ed in their attempt to trap the Rus
sian army in the Warsaw salient, the
Germans, with unlooked-for versatility,
Immediately formed an alternative
plan looking again to the same object
for it is the Russian army. not the
capture of Russian territory, that is
the German objective.
To this end Won Hindenburg is
pushing east and south from Kovno
in an attempt completely to outflank
the Russian army by bending it back
on itself, while Mackensen is driving
north trying to accomplish the same
thing further. south.
The result is the creation I'm the
vicinity of OssOwetz of another sali-
ent similar to the one at Warsaw. An
attack against its side will, at the
rate of the German advance, soon
place the army occupying the salient
I'm difficult position. The Russian
commander will have his hands full
to eXtricate his forces with his usual
success.
On the southern part Of the line,
that along the Dniester, and the Zlota
Lipa, there has been comparative
quiet. There was a temporary re-
sumption of hostilities that lasted a
day or two and resulted in some
slight Russian advantages, but mat
ters soon became quiet again, the
two battle lines facing each other
across the rivers. The German army
here has no reason to take the often
sive. 1t is apparently intended only
as a holding force to prevent a Rus
sian advance, and plays no part in
the general offensive plan further
north.
On the italian front there is moth
ing OF special Importance on which
to comment. At the same time there
seems to be a generol feeling OF dis
appointment among the friends Of the
Quadruple Entente as to Italy's fail
ure to make more rapid progress as
well as confusion as to just what the
problem is in this theatre and what
Italy has done to meet the situation