The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-20
GERMANS DRIVE
RUSSIANS BACK
kaiser's Forces Succeed in
Checking SIaV Advance
Into East Prussia.
TEUTONS ASSUME OFFENSIVE
Railroads = Great Help in Quick
Movement of TrooPs-No Change
in Carpathians-French
Lose in AIsace.


London, Feb. 12.-BattIe is follow
ing battle on the eastern front, where
Russia, single handed, is fighting the
forces of Germany, Austria and Tur-
key.
The Russians have held their lines
against Field Marshal Won linden 1
bugs army, which attempted last
week to break through to Warsaw
and apparently have checked the Aus
tro-German offensive in the Carpa
thians.
Germans on Offensive Now.
They now are called upon to defend
the positions which they have won in
East Prussia and Northern Poland
The Germans are transferring men
and guns by their splendid strategic
railways and have assumed the often
sive on the East Prussian border and
on the right bank of the Lower Wis
tula, where an advance has brought
them to the district of Sierpec, which
the Russians occupied a short time
ago.
Next Battle Is a Guess.
1t is impossible to say yet whether
the next big battle will take place in
this district or in East Prussia, as
Grand Duke Nicholas, with whom the
initiative remains, has not disclosed
his intentions. He may either strike
between Tilsit and Insterburg, in East
Prussia, or threaten to cut Won Hin
denburg's communications with Thorn
by movement along the Lower Wis
tula
No further change is noted in the
Carpathians, but while the Austro-
German force in the eastern part of
the range seems to have been strong
enough to compel the Russians to re-
tire from Bukowina, the Russians ap-
pear after the fierce battles of Sunday
to have almost complete command of
the middle and western portions of
the mountains.
German Success in AIsace.
Except for a somewhat more severe
engagement than usual in the Ar
gonne, and another in Alsace, in which
the Germans claim to have been sue
cessful, although the French say they
have regained the ground temporarily
given UP, calm continues along the
western front.
Germans Lose Heavily.
London, Feb. 11.-Under mid-winter
conditions the Russian and Austro-
German army are fighting another
series of battles for possession of the
Carpathian passes which will decide
whether the Russian troops will COM
mence another invasion of Hungary or
be compelled to evacuate part of Ga
ncia as they have done Bukowina.
The Russians have issued two Off
cial reports of the operations, accord
ing to which they have thus far had
all the better of the fighting. Their
right wing, at any rate. has succeeded
in crossing the mountains, for it has 4
been engaged in a battle near Bart
field and Svidnik, which are on the
Hungarian side of the Carpathians
and on the edge of the plains which
sweep down to Budapest.
This army, too, threatens the rear
Of the Austro-Germans, who having
entered Lupkow pass to the east, have
suffered severe losses in a battle
with another Russian force which was
waiting for them there. The hardest
fighting, however, has occurred on the
Galician side of Tukho1ka pass, where
on Sunday the Austro-Germans cap
tured the heights in the region of Ko-
ziouwka only to be driven from them
after bayonet fight which the Rus
sian report describes as being with
out precedent in history"
Expect Important Developments.
Berlin, Feb. 11.-Important develop
ments in the East are generally ex-
| pected here at an early date Ru-
mors have been repeatedly circulated
from time to time in the last few
weeks that the hour Of a big victory
was at hand, without, however, mate
rializing into fact.
Ratified Army Estimates.
London, Feb. 11-After two days
| of debate, during which many matters
in connection with the war were dis
cussed, the House of Commons tonight
passed without division the army esti-
mates for the three million men, ex-
elusive of India, and also by a token
vote provided for the pay of the Off
GERS and men. By this vote the gov
eminent viii receive a blank check
for this purpose.