New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-20
TWO RAILROAD
LINES SEVERED
Kaiser's Troops ForceWay
to Vileika, on Route
TO MinSk.
STILL HELD IN SOUTH
The Defenders Gain in Volhynia
Strive TO Reinforce Their
Line In North.

Line III NOrtn.
London. Sept. 19.-The Germans
are at last In a position TO force u
Russian army to accept battle.
Since the Teutons began tfeir drive
in Western Galicia, in eally May,
their objective has been the capt
ure of large part Of The Cars
forces, and since the grfnd dukes
mastery retreat prevented such
success, they have aimed to COM
pei the enemy to stand end fight
That apparently has now been
accomplished. The Germans have
occupied Wilma. and by a wide
sweeping movement TO the north
have succeeded in almost, if not en-
tirely surrounding a part Of the
Russian army fighting ir the rail-
way triangle between Wilma, Ida
and Vileika.
The Russian forces In this dis
trict must either fight their way
out eastward or retire in a south
easterly direction, for he only rail-
way left entirely in their hands Is
that which runs from wilma TO Ida
and thence to Baranovtchi.
The army of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg, which took Wilma and
has reached Vileika, to tho east OF
Wilma, is working in close co-opera-
ton with that of A-chduke Leopold
Of Bavaria in an etfo-t to catch a
part of the Russian army, an opera
ton which has been so often tried
without success.
Russians Are Confident.
The Russians express confidence IN
the outcome Of the battle which muss
be decided before complete success
falls 70 one side or the other, but with
their northern armies closely held along
the Dvina and the German flank well
protected by the cavalry which recently
occupied Vidzy, across the wilma. .Petro-
grad railway, II seems impossible that
anv aid can come to them from thas
direction.
The battle seemingly must be fought
out between the troops now IN the dis-
trict between wilma, Ida and Slonim,
with the assistance OF any reinforce
ments that can be spared 20 hold tho
German force which has reached
Vileiks.
At the southern end of the line Gem
eral Ivanoif is still keeping Field Mar
shal Won Mackensen at arms length
from the fortress of Rovno, the key TO
the route to Kiev, and in counter at
tscks has retaken several villages both
in Volhynia and Galicla.
Il seems apparent from the inability
Of the Austro- Germans 20 hold their
positions in the southern area that
they have sent reinforcements from
that front 20 Field Marshal Won Him
denburg's northern army, which, aa
heretofore, is expected TO score the big
gest success.
on the southwest front are not dis
tracing the attention Of Petrograd
military critics from the situation at
Wilma. The occupation by the Austro-
Germans of Vileika, midway between
Wilma and Minsk, is regarded as the
central fact in the last Russian Official
communication.
Although the situation Is regarded
=, ~, ha & ms
with a representative of the General
STAFF remains optimistic. He said:
Sure of Safe Retreat.
an spite of the fact that the enomy
is gradually forging an iron ring
around Wilma from the northeast, while
approaching simultaneously from the
northwest and the direction Of Orany,
our armies continue TO beat OFF all
enemy attacks and are maintaining
their positions.
"Our armies continue with the great
est stubbornness TO defend the Wilma po-
sitions, which are gradually shifting 70
the southwest of the city. On this
front new and hotly contested battles
may be expected, since the enemy eyi-
IDENTIFY is trying 20 attain the railway
between Wilma and Ida from the direc-
tion Of Grodno and the Niemen in or
der to interfere with our withdrawal
from the wilma region. The general sit
uation in the Wilma region is such that
there cannot be any talk OF the posi-
bility of surrounding our armieS."
GERMAN OFFICIAL.
German Army Headquarters gave QUE
this statement:
Army group OF Field Marshal von
Hindenburg: The extensive attack
by General Won Eiehhorn against
wilma has been crowned with COM
plete success. Our left wing has
reached Molodechno, Smorgon and
Worjany Attempts by the enemy TO
break through our lines in the diree-
tion OF Mischalisehk with strong
forces hurriedly collected failed CONF
pletely.
Because Of the uninterrupted prog
ress OF our eneircling movement
and simultaneous strong attacks BY
~. C.k k.l-