The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-08
The WAR LAST week
GERMANS IN RACE TO WIN ARE
GAMBLING ON WEATHER
WINTER coming Soon

TcrTential Rains of Autumn Will
Render Polish Plains impossible to
Huge ArmieS-SiX Weeks are Left
to Invaders Before Cold Winter
Sets in.
A Military Expert in the New York
Times writes:
Not resting content with their sue
cessful operations from Galicia to the
Gulf of Riga, the Germans inaugural
ed the week just past with renewal
of operations in Galicia. For weeks
the German and Russian forces had
been facing each other inactively
across the Zlota Lipa river from its
source to it's confluence with Dnies-
ter near the small village of Nismof,
and thence along the Dniester to
Bessarabia
This German force played no part
in the German offensive to the north.
It's function was the defensive role of
holding the Russians along its front
in position and preventing move
against the lines of communication
of the army operating in Southern
Poland.
To have advanced beyond the Zlota
Lipa would have done no good and
might have done considerable harm
through the necessary lengthening of
the German line that would have fol-
lowed 1t was the most advanced
part of the line and could therefore
only wait until the northern armies
had gone forward sufficiently to
straighten the line out. The time
seemed ripe, however, for an often
sive move against this section of the
Russian line
The Russian first line fell with the
evacuation of Warsaw. The reten-
tion OF it's second line became impos-
sible with the occupation of Kovno.
Bialostok, Bielsk and Brest-Litovsk.
The Russians must therefore fall
back to third line which, as stated
last week, will necessarily be the line
from the Gulf of Riga through
SlIud, olOuil1L, DOL Ou-
oyichi, Piusk, and Rovno.
1t is with this line in view that the
operation along the Zlota Lipa was
undoubtedly begun. This liability
is increased by realization of the
German strategy in all of the forti-
fed places it has taken since War
saw was evacuated. In not one case,
judging solely from official reports,
was a frontal attack made against
along of the Russian permanently
fortified positions. In each case the
attack was indirect, against the sup
ply lines upon which the particular
objective depended. Once these were
cut the position naturally was given
up.
AS far as can be seen at the pres
ent writing this is the ultimate object
of the renewed offensive against the
Zlota Lipa position. The objective is
Rovno, an important railroad centre,
and a strong fortress through which
the new Russian line must pass. The
| moves that have been made so far
against this point are intresting to
follow. The first point threatened
was Bozezany. the largest town on
this section of the Russian front and
not far from the bridgehead, where
the river is crossed by tho railroad
from Lem berg to Tcrnopol.
Attacks were made north and
south of the city and a foothold was
gained on the east bank on front of
two miles. This was the extent of
last Sundays operations. The forcing
of the Zlota Lipa position must have
been accompanied by every severe
losses. This. river is not very wide,
but is fairly rapid end in its lower
part quite deep.
1t is different from most Of the
rivers in Galicia in that there is prac-
tically no marsh belt bordering its
| banks. The banks, however, ere clay,
and the east bank particularly is very
steep. This gave the Russian posi-
ton considerable defensive value and
made its forcing by tho Germans a
feat of no little difficulty.
On Monday the breach in the Rus
sian front resulting from Sundays
action was considerably widened, and
Vienna reported that the Russian line
from Vladimir-Volynski to the Dnies-
ter. e front of over hundred miles,
| was broken and in retreat, the north
| ern section falling back toward the
| fortresses of Lutsk and Dubno. the
southern along the general line OF
the Strypa river.
Tuesdays fighting saw a new ele-
| ment injected into the situation in
the part of General Mackensen's
troops operating just north and south
of Vladimir-Volynski. This fastened
| the Russian defeat and imposed q
| heavy task on the Russian rear
guard. which Immediately became in
| volved in heavy fighting west of the
| fortress of Lutsk.
The next day, however. the Rus
slams turned and checked the advance
along the entire left wing. The force
of this counter-attack was felt par
ticularly along the Strypa river, be-
hind which they hc.d retreatcd the
day before The check was only tenn
porary, however, for on Thursday the
Austrians advanced to Lutsk and cap
tured that fortress. The fortress is
but minor one. it is true, but it IS
the first step toward Rovno. Lutsk
forms with Dubno and Rovno anoth-
er fortified Russian triangle with
which western Russia is studded.
Fcrtresses so grouped and in sup
porting distance of each other are
points Of great strength if sufficient
ly armed and adequately manned.
because of the ability of the troops
garrisoning them to strike quickly at
the lines of communications of the
hostile forces operating within the
triangle against any of the three
forts 1t the vertices.
The fall of LutSk, however. dis
penses to large degree with the adj
vantage which the combination gives.
and. not only that, Teuton possession
Of Lutsk threatens the flank Of the
entire Russian left now occupying,
and it is question whether gem
eraI Russian withdrawal from Cali
clan territory may not become neces-