The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-22
LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE.
Serbians, Hammered by Superior
Forces Face Destruction.

London, Oct. 22.-Serbia'S military
position is critical. Hammered by SUI
perior forces on two sides, her armies
are threatened with being crushed as
no army has beer crushed during the
war.
Not only are these facts admitted in
England, France and Russia, but they
are reflected in official Serbian state
| mentS.
The key to escape from this situa-
ton is the speed with VIII: n France
| and England can throw forces north
from Saloniki, in the hope of reliev-
ing pressure from the Austrians and
Germans in the north and the Bull
garians in the east.
The BulgarianS are now battling un-
der the eyes of King Fer linand.
Notwithstanding the presumably su-
perior artillery of the Austrians and
Germans, it is the flank attack by the
! Bulgarians which .eems the most
menacing to the Serbians At few
places are the Teutons as much as
twenty miles south of the Danube. In
fact The ground gained averages
depth of only ten miles.
The Rulgarians for their part are
displaying tremendous energy, indica-
tive of carefully laid plans preceding
the declaration of war. With twenty
miles of the Nish-Salonik railway in
their hands, they have a strategic adj
vantage which it will be difficult to
overcome.
Allies Plans Unrevealed.
The movements of entente troops
from Saloniki are still unknown to the
public, but if any considerable force
has been detailed to the task of
doing for Serbia what England at
tempted to do for Belgium, it must be
heard from soon.
From Sofia and Saloniki come de-
malls that the Bulgarians have lost
Strumitsa This means that Bulgarian
soil is still free from invasion.
1t is reported that Turkish cavalry
is cooperating with the Bulgarians,
the Macedonian town of Veleza, where
the Serbs won a victory over the
Turks in the Balkan war of 1912. Ac-
cording to an unofficial report, the
Bulgarians have taken the town.
Greece still hesitates. England's
offer of Cyprus and, according to re-
port, a considerable extension of Greek
territory along the Aegean sea, and of
colonies in Asia, have brought no out
ward change in the situation.
Riga Again in Balance.
On most of the long eastern front
the Russians seem to be in the ascen-
dance, but both Petrograd and Berlin
emphasize the increasing danger of
Riga's position. From the southwest
the Germans are nearing the village
of Olaf, which is only twelve miles
from Riga They are also increasing
their hold along the Dvina river to the
southeast of the city, being in that
quarter within eight miles of their
goal. The Russians assert that Ger
man attacks in the region of OLAF were
repulsed, but the Germans are bonn
harding the Riga-Dvinsk railway be-
yond the Dvina, interfering with the
forwarding of Russian reinforcements.
According to dispatch from Chris
tiania. the Russian port of Archangel
already is closed by ice. If this be
true, Russia will be deprived of this
means of bringing in supplies, unless
ice breakers are able to work sue
cesSfully.
German Attack in West Fails
Paris, Oct. 22.-German troops YES
terday evening made an unsuccessful
attack upon certain French positions
near Givenchy, according to the an
nouncement made this afternoon by
the French war office.