Arizona republican., 1915-09-05
Although They Continue Retirement and Are Be- ing Driven Back in Some Sectors, Russians Have Stiffened Opposition
MAY EVACUATE
 CITY OF RIGA
If Germans Succeed in Crossing Dvina River This Must Result in the Evac- uation of Riga by the Russians
IAssocIATED PRESS DIsPATCH1


 LONDON, Sept 14.-Although they continue retirement in some sectors, and are being driven back in others. the Russians on the whole nave stiffened their opposition to the Teuton advance and the Germanic allies will now have to fight and fight hard for every yard of ground they gain. Away to the north just below the Gulf of Riga a big battle is in progress for the possession of the river Dvina. The Germans now occupy the western bank between Lennewada where they captured the bridgehead yesterday and Friedrich stadt, where another bridgehead was taken by storm today. These suc- cesses if they can be carried to a conclusion by forcing a crossing of the Dvina must result in the evacu- ation of Riga, which is already threatened by General von linden burg's army.
 From Friedrichstadt south to the Pripet marshes the Russians and Germans have engaged in a series of battles and while the Russians by a counter offensive along the Wilma river and counter attacks at other points are inflicting heavy losses on their pursuers. they are being pressed back and Wilma, already evacuated by the civilian. probably will soon be left behind by the Russian army. Heavy snow is hindering the activi- ties of the Austrians and Italians in the Alps.
 To the south of the Pripet marshes another series of battles is being fought. The Russians along the Styr and Sereth rivers are making stubborn stand and the Austrians in whose ranks there is strong leavening of German are finding the way eastward barred on most of the front They have however, forced a crossing of the Sereth river at the junction of the Dniester so now a very narrow strip of Galicia remains in Russi9n hands. Finding it inn possible to make headway in the frontal attacks on the positions GOV ering the fortresses of Dubno and Rovno. which were the base of the Russian armies for an advance through Galicia, the Austrians are making an attempt to turn those positions from the south and claim General von Boehm Ermolli has broken trough the Russian lines. There is no indication where now the Russian lines are, but from the strong defense it is evident they intend if possible to bring the Austro- German offenive to a standstill not far east from where they now arc offering most stubborn resistance
 As far as the Russian armies are concerned it is apparent that they are fairly safe from any encircling move ment unless the Germans can quick ly throw a strong force across the Dvina southeast of Riga. At pres ent the Russians have behind them a large number of roads leading cast and northeast. and as they proved themselves masters of the retreat military writers here are convinced they will remain nowhere long enough to be caught. The rear guards of course occasionally fall into the hands of the pursuers.
 The French. British and Belgian artillery continue their insistent bom- bardment of the German trenches and cantonments in the west but thus far the expected offensive has no developed and the designs of General Joffre, the French comman- derin chief, have not been disclosed
 The invasion of Rumania by the Austro Germans with or without declaration of war, is being dis cussed as a probability in the Bal kan capitals, and as no aid could be sent her in men or munitions un- til the Dardanelles are opened, it is expected the efforts to force the straits will be further increased by the armies and navies of the allies