The Washington times., 1915-05-13
THE WARFARE IN THE EAST

Austrian sources, it is difficult to
construct any very satisfying view
of the developments in the great
campaign in the eastern theater of
war. But the advices received this
week are distinctly qualifying to the
Austro- German claims that a COM
plete and overwhelming victory has
been achieved. 1t is apparent that
one wing of the Russian army has
suffered a reverse, probably severe
one, and that it has been compelled
to retire some distance.
But on the other hand the more
southerly flank of the Russian ad-
vance is reported making substantial
gains; it is as if the whole long bat
tie line were swinging on pivot.
Russian information, which has been
candid in admitting the reverse of
the imperial army both in this move
ment and on previous occasions, now
insists that the retirement of their
right wing has been pretty we'll con-
cluded and that lines have been
formed in positions that strongly
guard the Carpathian passes. The
Swiss press has information that the
great drive of the Austro- Germans
cost them as high as 10000 men,
while the Russians place the figure
at 100000.
No matter what the exact status
of this campaign may be at the
moment, it has demonstrated the
magnificent capability of German
offense. 1t is now being explained
that exactly as in their various
operations in Poland and East Prus-
sia, the Germanic allies have ad-
vantaged themselves by the use of
their superior transportation system.
Petrograd candidly admits this, de-
claring that the Germans and Aus
trians were able to mass thirteen
divisions, about $4,000 men, on a
siXteen-mile front near krosno,
while the Russians were unable to
bring up anything like adequate force
to meet this movement. The Rus
slams in such dispatches as have thus
far come through do not allude
directly to the superiority of their
enemies facilities for moving troops
in such great bodies; but glance
at the map makes plain that this is
without much question the explana-
ton.
When the dispositions were ready
for this overwhelming smash, the
Germans let loose first an artillery
bombardment, which was followed by
infantry attacks in greatly superior
force, and the Russians were quickly
driven back. 1t was a thoroughly
successful movement; yet it does not
appear decisively to have changed
the position of the whole campaign;
and the reasons begin to be ap-
parent.
A disaster on a sixteen-mile Sec
tion of a battle line that is hun
dreds of miles long, must be of ex-
traordinary character if it shall ex-
pand its effects into the proportions
of general disaster. The Germans
are alleged to have brought into this
eastern campaign one-ninth of their
entire effective forces, and three
quarters Of the Austrian power
Twenty infantry and nine cavalry
divisions are said to have come from
the Franco-Belgian front and several
corps from the Serbian.
If such a supreme effort does not
for the time being break the Russian
movement into Austria, then indeed
it must be set down that the Ger.
manic powers are at last so widely
and intensely engaged that they
begin to sight the end of the era OF
kiting military checks across centra
Europe. They have enjoyed the
benefit OF greatly superior transport
but transport will not avail for thi!
kind of operations after the poin
shall have been reached wher
soldiers cannot be spared from on'
point to be moved to another. l
would not be surprising if the re
vived offensive on the Franco Bel
gian front, which is now reportin,
resumption of successes for tn
allies, might very soon compel tn
retransfer of the forces recentl
taken east, in order to protect tn
western lines. In that event, unles
the Russians shall have been drive
out of Galicia and the mountai
passes taken from them, a recrude
scence of the Russian movement ma
be the result.
The war is settling down into
contest between splendid mobilit,
which is the advantage of the Gel
manic forces, and superior number!
which are beginning to tell for thei
ananoiaS There is M raasop :