Evening star., 1915-02-08
CLEAR POLAND OF ENEMY y
BY SPRING, THE PROGRAM
Cars Military Experts Think Time
Has Come to Inaugurate q
General Offensive.
GERMAN ATTACK Is SHIFTED
Attempt to Reach Warsaw Believed
to Have Peen Sidetracked for
Campaign in East
Prussia.

PETROGRAD, February s.
Hard fighting continued in the
Carpathians with success of con-
siderable importance for the Rus
sian troops, according to an Off
cial communication issued here
today.
A pursuit of the Austrians after
their resistance had been broken
at three fortified positions near
Mezolaborcz is said to have re-
suited in the capture of more
than $500 prisoners. The cap
ture of additional troops after a
retreat north of Uzsok pass also
is recorded, while it is stated Aus
trian attacks were repulsed at
other mountain passes.
Minor Russian victories are
claimed in East Prussia and
northern Poland
Great Battle in Bukowina.
GENEVA, via Paris, February g.
Desperate lighting Is going on in the
Carpathians between Lawoczne. in Cali
cia, and voloctz. in Hungary. Accord
ing to advices received here the Rus
slams have captured the villages Of
Ulics, Komarnik. Csertesz and Swidnik
A great battle is raging in Bukowina,
between Derna-w -watra and Kimpolung.
Austrian headquarters has prohibited
war correspondents from going to the
front at Poschorita- The Austrians are
reported to have been driven back be-
yond the Moldava river and the Rus
slams also have gained some small sue
cesses at Yablomitza.
Russians Plan Offensive.
wARSwAW. Russian Poland. February
8 (via London).-The reaction which fol-
lowed the cessation of the fierce German
aggressive in the region of Human
and Borjimow, and the transfer of
German troops northward to initiate a
new offensive in the East Prussian country
which lies between Tilsit, Gumbinnen and
Lipno, has provided the Russian forces on
the Poland. in the opinion of Russian
military observers, with an opportunity
for the long-heralded offensive whose ul-
innate result will be the expulsion of Ger
man forces from West Poland.
Ever since the German attack on Bor-
jimow, which reached its climax Thurs
day, the number of German troops be-
tween the junction of the Bzura river
and Bolimow has been decreasing.
German Attack Shifted.
Following their failure to make ma
terial headway against the Russian
line which protected Humin and Bor-
jimow. the Germans shifted their at
tack to the right bank of the Vistula.
northwest of Warsaw between LIpn0
and Sierpec This offensive however.
was not comparable in intensity to the
former and it evidently was only an
interlude to mask an important trans
fer OF German troops in the direction
of East Prussia
The new Russian advance, according
to the latest and most reliable infor-
nation reaching WARSAW, already has
been successful between the Bzurs
Junction and Vithovitze, where they
have taken number of German
trenches and started the enemy upon
a precipitate retreat in which the Ger
mans left large number of pieces or
artillery behind them
Russian military observers in Poland
find in the disorder and disorganiZatiou
evidenced in this German retreat ia
creasing proof of what they call the
weakening of the German morale.
Germans Well Fortified.
Although it is expected here that the
Russian offensive will now extend over
the whole Polish front, even the most
sanguine do not look for any very rapid
nrogress in the resumption of the ag-
rressiye, since the Russians have de-
toiled information of elaborate Ger
man fortifications extending from the
yistula south to Skierniewice and
Javlka The general consensus Of miIi-
tarv opinion In Warsaw today, how
ever is that the Russians will retake
western Poland in the early spring.
Great tribute is paid here to the con-
tinued mobility shown by the German
forces in their lightning changes of
front In the recent transfer to East
Prussia the Germans made use of
enormous number of automobiles for
movine their soldiers They are in
possession of 10000 motor cars. each
twenty men. with food
ana ammunition, and capable of
s.ased of sixteen miles an hour.
Austrians Claim a Victory.
VIENNA, Austria, February S. via
and London. 3:35 p.m.-The
Au.tro-Hungarian war press bureau to-
day issued the following description OF
he recent fighting in the Carpathian
mountains:
..The battle for Dukla pass ended ia
yorably for us. Owing to difficulties
IF transport only weak Russian artil-
ery forces participated. but the Rus
,ians had concentrated near Dukla.
pas SIS strong infantry forcesf which ad-
vanced against the heights.
ssWithout regard for human material
thE Russians tried to enfoUHe sue
pessfu decision. Three Of their at