Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-30

in the region Of the Niemen river.
At present neither army in Poland
seems to be displaying any great ac-
tivity, and all other sections of the ex-
tended eastern battle front seem to be
waiting the outcome of the death grap-
pie in the Carpathian mountains. There
the Austrians are stubbornly contest
ing every foot gained by the invaders
Took Part in Fighting.
A semi-official statement issued at
Petrograd. says 4 dispatch to Reuters
Telegram Company. designed to con-
troVert the Germans contentious that
the assault on Memel was an attack
upon an unfortified town, again re-
views the fighting which is said to
have preceded the occupation, and de-
clares:
The inhabitants of the town treach-
erously took part In the fighting, COM
pelling the Russians to adopt excep-
tional measures which were unavoid-
able under the circumstances"
The statement enumerates violations
Of the laws OF war which Russia
y,
that under the circumstances the lat
Ter country has no right to make ac-
cusations against the Russian troops,
German Offensive Reviewed,
PETROGRAD, via London. March 20
A review of the German offensive
movement in the Niemen district, to
which it is said great Importance was
attached, is contained in an ifficial
statement issued by the war office Th(
communication follows:
From official documents which we
have captured II seems that the Ger
mans attached enormous Importance
to their offensive movement in the
Trans Niemen district, which failed OF
the 9Th. The principal task was as
signed to the 31st Division supported
by three reserve regiments, with a
advanced from Kalwarya on krauss t?)
with orders to push forward at all
costs to Lozdzieje, and to cut off Rus
sian forces which were engaging a
German army west of that point.
During an engagement in which we
took German trenches on the 27th neaI
the village of Nakh, in the direction OF
Sotrolenki. Capt. Suvaroff leaped into
an enemy trench and captured ma
chine gun, the fire of which he turned
Battled on the Ice.
THE Germans. in the execution OF
this plan. made prodigious efforts. ane
even attempted to envelop on the ice
of Lake Dusja our right wing, which
was operating north of Lodzieje. Nov
ing over the ice of Lake Dusja, the
Germans also attempted to turn oul
hatxr n
lake and Simno. In two INSTANCES
however, near the villages Of Siemie-
njska and Metelica, we developed coun-
ter attacks against German troops
which had penetrated our rear and an
initiated them completely
During the last two days on the left
bank of the vistula the Germans have
been very economical in their artillery
fire. 1t would appear that the German
forces in that region have been con-
siderably weakened
Fighting Continues Violent.
VENICE, via London, March 3O.-Dis-
patches to Budapest newspapers say
that the battle is raging with undi-
minished violence in the tZsok pass. to
the west The difficulties experienced
by the troops because of the rough
character OF the ground and the wealth
er conditions are said to be enormous.
Although the weather is warmer. snow
still lies on the ground to a depth of
several feet, rendering the movements
Of the troops and the transport of mu-
nitions extremely hard.
The Russians, the dispatches say,
have concentrated greatly increased
furces of troops n the Uzsok pass.
and, aided by continual reinforcements.
maintain incessant attacks on the Aus
trtan positions. The correspondent of
the newspaper A Nap says these at
tacks thus far have been successfully
repulsed.