The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-21
WIN OR PERISH IS
 STRATEGY OF GAR BOlder Commander Than
 the Grand Duke TAKING BIG RISKS Not Hoarding His Army as Miser Hoards Gold, But Is Spending It to Save Russia-Ordered Hold
 ing of East Galicia

Petrograd october 25.--(Special) Czar Nicholas IT is proving a tougher, bolder commander than Grand Duke Nicholas was. He is reviving the war. He is fighting harder, taking greater risks, and winning battles. Within a few weeks he will either have stopped Field Marshal Hindenburgs advance, or been defeated beyond repair. In his first weeks of command he has done better than the grand duke. The grand duke was losing fortresses and terri tory as fast as his army could walk. The Czar has lost neither. He lost Wilma city, which was three quarters lost be- fore he took command but he has not yet lost Dvinsk, or Riga, both of which Grand Duke Nicholas had despaired of; he made a bold dash on the Sereth river, beat Austrias S general Pflanzer- -Baltin, and took 20 guns He recaptured the fortress Luck. In three weeks he took 70000 prisoners which is more than Grand Duke Nicholas took in three months. He has taken German guns and beaten the Germans southeast of Wilma; and he drove the redoubtable Mackensen back over the Oginsky ca nal, an important defense line in the marshes of Pinsk. Nobody knows how long the Czar's successes will last; but they show a new spirit and new math- 
 either to gain victory or accept de- struction. The Czar took over only remnants of Grand Duke Nicholas army: he is i'll off for officers; for trained men; for ammunition. He re- ceived an army discouraged by defeats. Against these disadvantages he set new, desperate and determined spirit. This spirit is worth 20 army corps, and optimists are now beginning to think that where Grand Duke Nicholas failed help1essly, Czar Nicorlas may make good.
 Strategy Is Hard Fighting
 Czar Nicholas strategy is hard fight ing. He said that in mid September when he came to Smolensk. With him were Chief of Staff Alexeyeff, Com mander of the Southern Armies Ivanoff and Commander of the Central Armies Evert Seventy four officers who make up the great general field staff heard the Czars programme. The time, said the CZar, has come to cease relying on rear guard defensive actions. The time has come to make stand. Ivanoff's left wing in Eastern Galica was then threatened in front by a big Austrian force, and Ivanoff wanted to withdraw all his men and station them on the frontier in the Miory Cory hills He feared they would be outflanked by Aus trian forces on the march against the
 
 Rovno. Czar Nicholas, backed by Chief of Staff Alexeyeff, put down his foot. East Galicia, he said, should be held, That, said Ivanoff, was impossible,N un- less he got reserves. No reserves were to be had except two divisions sta toned near Rovno to cover the intended retreat of the Rovno garrison Re serves are made for fighting" said the Czar. The divisions were sent down to Galicia; after them went imperative orders to hold the positions and to coun- CT attack. Three days later, the Aus trians were driven back across the Sereth river. They lost badly in men, guns, and reputation. That was the first victory won by the Russians for three months It was the result of the new spirit the fighting spirit which came when Grand Duke Nicholas went. Over board went the notion that an army should be hoarded as a miser hoards money. The Cars notion is that an army, like money, is meant to be spent
 Cause of Revolution
 Czar Nicholas new plan to fight hard take risks, and conquer or perish. is the fruit of military and political considerations. The military factor is that the Czar is not a trained soldier. He never mastered the outworn mili- tary superstitionS and sophistr1es which injure Russian war making.
  ing is the best way to win. Nicholas II learned about war from regimental officers, who gave him the soldiers standpoint. This is that war consists in hard fighting and taking equal chances of winning gloriously or get ting sound beating. When Czar Nicholas came to Smolensk he had only this one idea of war. Therefore, he chose as chief of staff, General Alexeyeff. Alexeyeff is what Russians call "boyevoi general'-a lighting general" Alexeyeff holds that rear guard actions must not be fought merely in order to cover retreat or to get away guns and stores. They should always be pushed on until the enemy is soundly beaten. The notion of a continuous strategical retreat, he says, Is wrong.
 Inner politics Is one important mo- tive of the Czar's strategy. Grand Duke Nicholas spiritless abandonment of city after city, fortress after fort ress is the cause of the revolution now brewing. The revolution Is tired of being told that retreat has saved the army. There's no need. it reasons to save the army. the business is to save