Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-20
PRESSURE OF TEUTONS
PROVING IRRESISTIBLE
Tukum, Doblen, Krasnostav' and
Windau and 0strolenka in
Hands of Germans. ~
ARMIES MARCHING ON RIGA
Another Naval Base on Baltic Is Dc
sired-Petrograd Admits General
Retrogade Movement Even on
Bzura-Rawa Line.

LONDON, July 2o.-The great
German offensive in the east is
shown in the latest official reports
to be seriously threatening Rus
sian possession of Warsaw. Evac-
uation Of the Polish capital cam
not be far distant, in the opinion
of many military observers, as
from both the north and the south
Teutonic pressure is being ex-
erted with seemingly irresistible
force.
In the center Gen. Won Gallwitz
has driven the Russians back ON
the near defenses of the city, the
German report claiming an ad-
vance to points within ten miles
of the strnghold. I
To the southeast, the Austro-
Germans are pressing on the Lub-
lin-Cholm railroad line, capturing
krasnostav and threatening by
further advance to compass an en-
circling movement. Further east,
also, the Austrians are advancing
to complement the German effort.
The Morning Posts Budapest
correspondent reports that the
gradual evacuation of Warsaw
has been ordered by the Russians.
Big Question Of Campaign.
The uppermost question concerning
the eastern campaign now is when
Warsaw will be evacuated, rather than
whether it will be given up. With
virtually all of Courland in the hands
of Field Marshal Won Hindenburg and
with the Austrian-German forces across
the Bug. continued occupancy OF the
Polish capital exposes the Russians to
the danger Of disaster.
The wisdom of abandoning the War
saw salient in favor of a straight Rus
sian line daily becomes a more definite
subject of speculation among the allies.
and Russian retirement from the cap
ital before it is invested completely is
predicted widely.
German columns have occupied Tu-
kun, thirty-eight miles west Of Riga.
and Doblen, eighteen miles west OF
Mitau, according to an official state
ment issued at the headquarters OF the
Russian general staff last night. After
capturing these points they advanced
southward against Hofzumberge and
Benen.
The German movements in the Baltic
province are rendering the Russian
lines to the south still more insecure.
Petrograd admits general retro
grade movement. Even on the old
Bzura- Rawa line. which SO long with
stood German attacks. the Russians are
falling back, according to the Berlin
report.
Contradicting the German claims. the
Geneva Tribune publishes a dispatch
from the Russian front saying that the
night of July 17-1S a fierce hand-to-
hand encounter occurred on the Rawka
river, in Russian Poland. After fifteen
hours of fighting the Russians forced
their opponents back several miles. cap
turing several hundred prisoners.
The German war Office reports the
capture of Ostralenka. on the Narew
river, about sixty miles north Of War
saw.
Windau Is Captured.
Windau, in Courland. has been cap.
tured by the Germans, whose advance
toward Riga is said to be with the in
tention of seizing that port and clear
ing the nearby seas Of mines thus OBJ
tanning another naval base.
All the glory has not gone to Gen.
Won Hindenburg in the eastern cam
uaien. as his colleague. Field Marshal
Won Mackensen, is credited with the
ca uture of Krasnostav.
Important successes for the Teutonic
allies all along the battle line in Russia.
from the Baltic sea to Bukowina. are
claimed in an official statement issued
at the German war office. The army OF
Cen Won Callwitz is said to be standing
In force on the Narew line southwest Of
Nowo Georgievsk, one Of the girdle Of
fortresses which protects Warsaw and
onIv ten miles from the Polish capital.
With the capture Of Windau the Cor
mans have come into possession Of an
other seaport on the Baltic, and are
within a few miles OF Riga, seat Of the
governor general of the Baltic provinces
The German and Austrian forces are
said to have taken prisoners $1,000 Rus
SLAMS. .
Victories of the Teutonic allies all
along the front on the 18th 'shook the
strength of the enemy's resistance" ac-
cordfng to an official Austrian war office
abatement issued last night. The asser-
tion is made that while the Russians
brought up all the reinforcements avail
able they were unable to hold their pc