The farmer and mechanic., 1915-05-04
Lawrence Flick, Jr. in the Phliade'
phia Record.
And now come the Carpathians.

heen struggling with varying fortunes
for the mastery of the eastern theatre
Of war.
Now there is a lull. 1t seems 10
pretend the most furious fighting In
months. Any day we may expect to
hear the premonitory rumblings or
one of the greatest battles OF modern
times Perhaps a battle of supreme |
importance, one of the decisive pat
ties of the European war. Inc pattle
is to be fought on the broad Hungar-
ian plain within the shadow OF the
Carpathian Mountains. The stage Is
the kingdom Of Hungary.
Germans, AuStrians and russians
are facing each other is new align
ment Russia has unde. .take n a plan
of campaign made possible by the re-
cent fall of the Austrian fortress or
PrZemysl The capitulation OF TINS
great military stronghold both releaS-
ed a large Russian force engaged for
months in the siege, and removed
from all fear of Austrian attack from
the rear. 1t left the Russians free to
move either west or south. West lay
Cracow. held by the Germans and
AuStrians. Victory here would make
possible a Russian invasion of Austria
or Germany. South lay the Carpa-
thians, the great mountain range
guarding the plains of Hungary. Con-
troll of the Carpathians would give
Russia a broad high road TO the in
terror of the Magyar half of the Dual
Monarchy. The Grand Duke Nicholas
comnander-in-chief of the Cars
armies, chose the latter alternative.
Since the fall of PrZemysl he has been
hammering at the AustrO-G el man de-
fenses in the CarpathianS. Fighting
in snow and cold, up steep mountain
sides, which gave the defenders every
natural advantage, the Russians have
gained control of one Carpathian
Mountain pass after another. Only the
great Uzsok Pass, the principal route
into Hungary, remains in the hands
of the AuStrianS and their German
allies
New Tactical Move.
The Russians are pausing now. Pos
session of this one pass is essential tC
safe invasion of Hungary. Other
wise the Germans and Austrians might
come pouring in behind them and take
them front and rear. The meagre re.
ports from the eastern front indicate
that there is a vast German concen
tration around Cracow and along tht
Dunajec River, extending east alOns
the Beskid Mountain range towart
the Dukla Pass. 1t is reported also
though not officially, that the Austri
ans have abandoned BukOwina in or
der to take up position in great force
north and east Of the UzsOk Pass.
These two new German movements
around Cracow and in the vicinity o
the Uzsok Pass, indicate more than
defensive purpose. 1t is likely tina
the Austro- German forces will begi
new offensive designed to draw tn
armies Of the Car away from tn
Carpathians and thus forestall an in
vasion of Hungary. Or if the Rus
slams risk an attack from the rear b
Germans nd
throught the passes they now hole
the Austrians holding the great Uzso
Pass can pour down the mOuntai
sides and into the great Hungaria
plain ahead of the invaders. German
and AuStrianS already have taken u
defensive positions in Hungary, an
are waiting, hundreds of thOusan(
strong, for the advent Of the Car
armies. All told, approximately
million men, Russians, Austrians al
Germans, are expecting the signal
general engagement.
To date the war in the eastern w
zone has been series OF advanc
and retreats, with the Russians d
ing most of the retreating. Most
these retreats, however, have be-
made for tactical reasons rather tn:
because Of defeats, and in the aggr
gate have been of greater advanta
to Russia than to Germany. T
main reason for this peculiar plan
campaign may be found in the lay
the German and Russian railroa,
which at all times nave been one
the determining factors in the condl
of the war The Russian system
Poland is straight-llne system, &C
centraung on Warsaw. The Germ
system is circular, swinging arou
Warsaw from Lemburg on the sol
to Insterburg on the north This /
always made possible the rapid ct
centration Of German armies. a
has assisted more notably than al
thing else in Won Hindenburg's b.
liant strategy. In five campaigns
the eastern theatre Of war Russia
repeatedly pushed close enough to
German railroad lines to cause
rapid concentration or German troo
and then has withdrawn again i
the interior. When the Germs
have followed, getting away fr
their base Of supplies and reinfor
ments, Russia has been able to inf
I'D