Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-20

Ie8aous Aue NOSSsonS axe
Offering little resistance to
the advancing Germans.
LONDON, September 20, rz:4z
p.m.-The Russian army men,
aced, since the fall of wilma, by
the German encircling movement
is estimated variously at 100000
to 100000 men.
The conditions under which
the Russians are attempting to
extricate themselves furnish .
striking parallel to those which
followed the capture of Warsaw.
They may precipitate one of the
greatest, if not the greatest, bat
ties which have been fought on
the eastern front.
Report Accepted ~ Truss
Although no onicial connrmation has
been received in London from Petre.
grad this morning Of the fall Of wilma.
the British press has accepted the Ger
man claim readily. in view Of the situe-
tion that had been developing. Con.
Germ is expressed for the retiring Rus
sian forces.
So far as can be judged. Field Mar
shal Won Hindenburg's troops havs
flung a loop about the Russians over
front of some 200 miles. and are mot
only in their rear. but are menacing
the few available wagon roads stretch
ing to the south.
Few Prisoners Left Behind.
As was the case at Warsaw, the num-
ber Of Russian prisoners left behind
with the evacuation of wilma was not
great. Apparently the only way in
which the retiring forces may amelio-
rate the seemingly bad situation 10 by
a counter blow.
It is pointed out that Won Hinden-
burg's cavalry has penetrated so deeply
into hostile country as to create sa-
Nent open to sudden attack, II the Rus
SLAMS should be able to command REIN
forcements at the proper time and place.
but it is not believed here that his op-
ponents are In a position to deal such
blow effectively.
Guessing at German Plans.
There is a great deal of speculation
as to the German objective. Opinion ID
divided whether won Hindenburg will
seek merely to close his loop. thus cap
turing the army within the net, or. not
content with this, will press eastward
toward Minsk. and from the west
through Slonim, in an effort to repro
duce the encircling movement on .
more gigantic scale. and again try for
q decisive victory. Similar tactics at
tempted after the fall Of Warsaw met
with failure. The Russians are employ
ing their familiar rear guard tactics,
and the hope is expressed In the Brit
ish press that they will be able to fight
their way out without shattering losses.
Next to Warsaw, wilma is the most
Important town in western Russia. 1t
is a railway junction of great military
Importance. It was from wilma that
Napoleon fed in disguise in 1912, dur
ing the retreat from Moscow
Russians Still Confident.
Undiminished confidence in high MILL
tary circles that the Russians will
make a successful retreat from wilma
is reported by the Petrograd corre-
spondent of the Times. The Germans.
he says, are making most desperate
efforts to bag some Of the remaining
Russian armies before the withdrawal
is completed. but the heaviest trans-
port trains and impedimenta already are
beyond the danger zone and there 10
hope that the Russian forces win ex-
tricate themselves. It Is important to
bear in mind, the correspondent wires.
that many meshes In the German net
are composed not of infantry, but OF
weak cavalry units,
which will be swamped unless quickly
Viewing the situation in the northern
sector Of operations az . whole the
that German cavalry sefxed and cut the
wilma -Dvinsk line on the 18th. but
though a whole week elapsed, we are
It'll awaiting decision and though
are cut to the wilma
group Of forces the latter are able to
conduct operations without any appre-
ciable lack OF munitionas than.-s to
The enormous reserves carried by the
Russian army"
Battle Almost unceasing.
rho Times today publishes the fol-
owing dispatch from . correspondent
With the Russian forces sent on Stature