South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-30
TOWNS LEVELLED BY
GREAT COMPARTMENTS
Forests Razed and CraterS DUG
in Earth by Tremendous
Rain of Shells Which Aston
iShed Enemy.
BY steven Burnett.

Il
AUSTRIAN GENERAL HEAD
QUARTERS Cvia Vienna. Berlin and
AmsterdamJ June Within a
week all the Russians viii be out OF
Austria"
This was the prediction made by
Field Marshal Conrad Won Hoetzen-
dorf, chief Of the general staff of the
Austrian army, who arrived at head
quarters on Tuesday
Flushed with success four gigantic
Austro- German armies are driving
forward and the impetus Of their on
rush Is serving 90 push the Russians
back all alons he line.
Just now the herCeSt lighting
raging in the great marsh land north
OF the Dneister river, which IS rpugh-
~ bounded at the corners by British
zeany, ZclOczow Rhoatyn and Busk
SO enormous has been the mum bcTs
of wounded and SO vast has been the
demand for ammunition at the front
hat despite the desires OF the gen
erals. n has been impossible 20 trans
port all the wounded troops and Rus
sian prisoners 10 the rear and many
are still at the front Thousands OF
farm houses have been converted into
temporary hospitals where such relief
as is possible is given the wounded.
whether German, Austrian Hungarian
or Slav.
The Russian prisoners have spoken
In tones of wonder about the mighty
bombardments launched against their
positions by the Austro-German
forces.
Whole Towns Lcvelled.
Whole towns have been leNClled.
forests have been razed and the earth
blasted into deep craters where shat
Iering salVos We're turned against the
Russian redouots
IN the north and northeast the
AustrO- German forces under Gen.
Won Mackenzen the Napoleon Of the
Galician campaign, have driven the
Russians back upon their own soil
and the efforts of the troops in the
south are now concentrated "a dupli-
cate the feat of Won Mackenzen- South
Of Halicz the Russians are about 80
miles within Austrian soil, but FUR
ther TO the south they have been
driven out TO Bukowina.
The standard of the two kaisers viii
soon be fving upon Russian soil ali
the way from the Baltic 90 the bor-
ders OF ROumania- according TO the
confident belief OF all the Teuton Of
dcers associated IN this conflict
Among the rank and hle the most
peculiar ideas prevail as 10 the out
come of the present drive. some OF
the soldiers believe they viii soon be
IN the Russian capital.
1--WE Will saddle our horses in tho
cars palace" boasted one hungarian
trooper.
TIE Russian losses. which are be-
ing increased heavily every day. are
believed 20 be in the neighborhood OF
half a million men. not counting the
prisoners.
Thousands Are Homeless.
Tens of thousands OF Galician peas
ant folk are homeless in the district
over which the great battle has RACED
so long.
Traveiing south from Lenders one
masses through Grodck, which IN times
of peace has a population OF 1900
and is popular place for travellers.
who frequent the sulphur baths. VOW
Grodek is blackened shell. ruined
mass of cTumblng buildings. nlled
with many refugees from the sur
rounding country. IL mas been nee
essary for the German and Austrian
commissary departments all through
northern and central GallcIa 10 dole
out rations TO the civilian population
10 keep down famine. Forage IS
scarce for the horses and thousands
OF them have died from starvation ana
over work. The roads traNersed ny
the neein. Russians were lined WITH
rOtung carcaSses.
In the great battle zones around
Przeulysl and Lenders and south
around Str5J. the problem OF caring
for tho corases of the dead s0.dlers
has been partially solved by the peas
ants themselves. who for self preserN-a-
ton. did the work Of burial
Never IN the history OF the world
have such widespread and efncienL
preparations been made for cam
DafEn as the batterlng- ram drive
which drove the Russians from the
t,arDathians and loosened their hold
upOn Austrian SOIL.