Valdez daily prospector., 1915-04-20
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1915.
THE WAR SITUATION.
(By Military Expert.)

Russia is definitely committed to an invasion of Hungary. Following rapidly the advantage gained by the fall of Przemysl, her troops are now engaged in a desperate drive through the Carpathian passes. Petrograd re- ports that, in spite of terrific obsta- cles, the army is driving it's way sue cessfully against the strongest defen- ses of Lupkow pass. This is the larg- est of the three passes debouching south immediately from PrZemysl. As to the Uszok pass, reports from the same source are equally sanguine. which branches out to both Prze- mysl and Lemberg. If Russia can take and hold this entrance to Hun gary, the chances of success will thus be greatly enhanced by the compar- ative ease with which she can send troops into Hungary and feed any part of her line.
 No battle yet fought in the eastern theatre has been so charged with the importance of this struggle for pos session of the passes, and it is being waged with commensurate intensity. On the result may well hang the fate of Hungary.
 Whether the ultimate objective of Russia be Cracow or Budapest, the Austro- German army now defending the passes must be defeated. Unless this is accomplished Russia cannot advance into Hungary, nor would it seem possible to advance on Cracow and leave such a strong undefeated force directly in her rear and prac. tically all her line of communications. But Russia is bent on invading Hun gary first, in the hope of being able to turn her attention to Cracow later, and this in spite of the fact that a Russian raiding party is reported to have advanced to within forty miles of Cracow and to have destroyed pontoon bridge over the Dunajee riv- CT.
 The situation in Poland and east Prussia is also developing events of great interest. The Russian army, under the Grand Duke Nicholovich, is again active on the east Prussian bor- der. in spite of it's recent defeat. The recuperative powers of the Rus sians must be discouraging revela- tion to Gen. von Hindenburg's troops. IA defeat. no matter how severe, seems to have but a temporary eff Feet The Russians retire to their or ,ginal line. which seems to be too strong to be successfully stormed. md under cover of their fortfica ions reform, fill up their ranks and ,egin another advance toward the German frontier. Serious fighting is gain taking place but few miles rom the east Prussian border direct. east of the lake district If it ac- omplshes nothing else, it will oc- my the full attention of the Ger lan forces and prevent them from ending assistance to the south.
 There is popular belief that the owing of one or more army corps om one front or over part of the ont to another is indulged in by armany to a large extent This is pt borne out by the casualty reports.
 study of these reports which give le list of casualties by units begin. ng with the regiment, will show at such movements are few. In ft, it is probable that not more hn half dozen moves of this na- re have been made in the past five fnths. Even with Germany's won, tful organization and network of in sior lines of railroad communica,
 n. it is a considerable undertak.
 to move such large bodies of
 ops by rail from one end of the ,.pire to the other. An army corps
 h it's cavalry and artillery requires
 ut 300 railway cars. To feed it
 commissary must forward about i've carloads of supplies per day
 ny of such moves would soon dis
 anize even such thoroughly reg
 ed railway system as that behind
 German lines.
 the Dardanelles the navy of '> Allies does not seem to be mak
 very rapid headway. Reports as
 he damage being inflicted on the .',. kish forts on either side are di
 " contradictory, but apparently
 lite results cannot be looked for
 the land operations are well un