Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-05-04
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
VIENNA, May (via London, 12:Is1
d. m).--War bulletins issued by the|
Austrian and German army head
quarters and posted in Vienna yes
,terday and today bring news of the
Austrian-German victory over the
Russians in Western Galicia.
A large Austro-German army las
been steadily concentrating before
Cracow for the past three weeks With
the idea of making a new offensiv&|
movement. All available Austro-H lif-'
garian troops have been quietly
transferred during this time to the
Dunajec front, and for a fortni g1fL
past an unbroken stream of troop
trains has been pouring eastward
from Frankfort, Berlin and other
German railroad centres. Thus was
warming given that ibig events were
Impending in the east. Newspaper
correspondents were permitted to
telegraph that new offensive on the
Russian front was III preparation and
even to intimate that the blow would
fall neither in the Mazurian lake
regions nor in the Carpathians. Closer
indications. of course, were out of the.
question. Final plans for this move-a
ment We're approved at a conference
held in Berlin April 23 between Gem
eral Falkenhayn, chief of the German
staff. and Field Marshal Conrad Won
Hoetzendorf, chief of the AustriaIf]
staff. General Nackenson, com
mander of the German ninth arnaysl
who came from the front in Poland,]
also was present at the Berlin con-
ference. He left for the front TO take
command of the new army that same
night, after receiving his final instruc~
tions. So far as is known Field Mar
shall Won Hindenburg did not attend
the Berlin council OF war, although he
visited German headquarters with
General Mackenson shortly preX&<hs
to this.
Teutons Got the Jump"
1t is too early to discuss the fQll
military effect of this victory ID
Galicia, but it is the opinion of AUS
trian observers that the German an6
Austrian strategists got the jump
on the offensive which the Russians
were believed to be planning and on
which their campaign in the Car
pathians was thought to have been
preliminary.
The number of prisoners taken bF
the Teutonic allies mentioned in the
first report is noticeably small, but
the experts here expect that the total
number of men captured and the
amount of war booty will grow rap
idly.
A significant feature of the reports
of this victory is the reference "a
the piercing of the front of the Rus
sian army. The Russian commanders
up to the present time usually have
been able to avoid a breach in thess
line by falling back before the line
broke.
The political value of this eicteryI
of the first magnitude is regardel
here as quite as great as the military
1t comes in the midst of the Austfo-
Italian negotiations. and on the ese
of the meeting of the Italian parlia-
ment. and it comedies with the ara@
nouncement of new Austro- Hunga-
rian loans, the success of which would |
be materially affected by a victors
at this time.
A correspondent of the Neue F'reie
Presse, of Vienna, in the theatre ol
the war, has sent in the following
dispatch concerning the battle OF
Sunday in West Galicia:
Attack Surprised Russians.
'The Austro-Hungarian offensits
succeeded with surprising rapihity 8
The Russians occupied naturally
SLTOnR DOSlIlOnS OIL LILO 1tUlldJCS eA1tet T.
the Biala, which had been strength
ened with every imaginable method
of fortifications. They felt theiifz
selves absolutely secure. After
searching artillery preparation. ex-
ceeding in intensity anything Which l.
has occurred on the northeastern
front the Austrians and the Hung4
rians advanced Sunday on the SOUTH
ern wing. They stormed at the tirst
attempt the Russian positions along
front OF more than 40 kiiomekees f2t
miles). stretching from the Bialn
river through Gorlice far into tls
Carpathian mountains. Their assanl
was so fierce that the Russian lntH
broke Immediately. Many thousand
of prisoners we're taken, as well sssf
an inestimable quantity of equip
ment, supplies, cannon and machin
guns.
"At the same time on the nortneri5
wing another successful advance NAa
carried out" the Vienna correspond
ent continues. "At this point Ausf
trian and Hungarian troops crossed
the Dunajec in spite of terrific oppo<
sition, stormed the Russian positions
and took over 1000 prisoners.
"Other brilliant successes also are
from the Carpathians.P