Evening star., 1915-01-01
NEW YEAR FINDS FOES
IN TWO GREAT BATTLES
No Marked Let-Up in Fighting, De-
spite Severe Suffering From
Winter Weather.
CALL Is OUT FOR MORE MEN
Grand Offensive of Allies in Western
Theater Postponed Until Their
Lines Can Be Re-
inforced.

LONDON, January I, 1:27
p.m.-As the year 1915 opens
after five months of hostility in
the great war the fighting both
in the eastern and the western
arenas is going on without de-
cisive result for either side.
There has been no material let
up with the advent of severe win
ter weather in the determination
and severity of the encounters.
In Poland there are today active
hostilities between Germans and
Russians between the Vistula and
Pilica rivers, and along the battle
line in France, from the sea to
Switzerland, there are almost
continuous exchanges of artillery
fire or infantry charges against
trenches followed by desperate
counter attacks.
Germans on Hostile Soil.
The close of the fifth month of the
war finds Germany still in occupation
OF virtually the whole of Belgium, an
important tract OF French territory In
the western theater of hostilities and q
considerable slice of Russian Poland
along the eastern battle front, a thou
sand miles away. It would appear,
nevertheless, that Germany for the
present, at least, is unable to make
further headway.
British commentators today call at
tention to the fact that the initiative,
for the moment, seems to be in the
hands of the allied commanders, and
the recent German public utterances
to the effect that Germany is waging a
defensive war to save her territory
from invasion is accepted here as an
indirect admission that to battle on
two fronts a thousand miles apart has
caused an unanticipated strain on even
the great resources of the empire
Task Is a Hard One.
There are, however, no illusions g.
London as to the difficulties confreaf-
ing the allies. 1t is recognized that
the task of recovering the territory
seized by Germany is little less for
midable than the undertaking of Ger
many when she found herself engaged
in warfare against multiplicity of
enemies. Hence the postponement of
the allied offensive on a grand scale,
until such time as the allies are able to
put more men in the field. Meanwhile
each side is continually feeling the
strength of its opposing lines. Gen.
Joffre, the French commander-in-c chief,
is for the moment exerting his greatest
front extending from the channel to
Alsace.
Large Armies Soon Ready.
Large armies now training in Eng
land will be ready to be thrown across
the channel as soon as a more rapid
OF the offensive movement
of the allies is considered desirable.
It is claimed at Petrograd that Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg's rush for
Warsaw was opposed with such sue
cess that 1t has been definitely checked,
but the German war Office reports
state that satisfactory progress is be-
ing made, except in Galicia, where
what practically amounts to a rout of
the Austrian forces with their stiffen-
ing of Germans Is admitted.
Opinions vary whether the Austro-
forces will again stir the
hornets nest to the southwark Of the
dual monarchy. At present Servia and
Montenegro have fought their big
neighbor to standstill. but 1t is re-
ported that Austria is preparing q
new expedition Of a million men against
Servia.
Ga1icia Not Crucial Field.
Commentators on the situation in the
eastern fighting zone unite in attaching
little importance to the reports of
Russia's gains in Galicia. They de-
clare that the outcome will be decided
farther to the north, where the Ger
man advance. they assert, is proceed
ing according to plans.
THE fighting about Bolimow Gin
Russian Poland. eleven miles east of
Germans" says the Petrograd corre-
spondent of the Morning Post. He
states also that the Russians have now !
got the German and Austrian armies
in western Galicia practically split
into three"
Comparative Lull in West.
In Flanders and France there has
been a comparative lull in the fighting
on most of the front, disturbed oc-
casionally, however, by artillery fire,
Infantry attacks and counter-attacks.
The French announce that they have
carried half the village of Steinbach.
in Upper Alsace. which. while Of little
Or no Importance itself. stands at the
foot Of hill which commands large
part of the surrounding country.
The French official statement given
,ut in Paris this afternoon shows that
the artillery exchanges on the battle
front in France have not diminished
n severity or frequency. Various
places are mentioned where artillery 4
lighting has taken place.
The statement claims tho repulse OF
six German infantry attacks at . point