The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-05-22


attention TO the invasion of France
Thither she sent at the outset practi'
cally all of her first line troops. She
left Austria to hold Russia in check
until, by a quick blow. she could set
tie affairs in the west, hoping to re-
turn before slow-moving Russia
could get into action.
This plan nearly carried but not
quite, owing to factors unexpected
The first OF these was the stiff resis'
lance of the Belgians, giving the Al
lies time sorely needed. The second
was the unlocked for activity OF Rus
STA, whose armies gained the mas
terry over those of Austria, invaded
Galicia and moved in great force into
East Prussia. At that time Germany
had made little preparation TO defend
that quarter and the Russian inroads
created CONSERVATION. This first in.
vasion of East Prussia, according to
reliable accounts, was marked by
horrible atrocities beside which
those accredited to the Germans in
Belgium pale Cossacks overrun the
rich region. Strengthening and plum
dering unrestrained. 1t looked for a
time as if the Russians would not be
checked short of Berlin.
This situation forced change in
the German campaign plans. Troops
sorely needed in France at the mo-
ment when it seemed Germany was
about to administer the coup de
grace there were hurried to East
Prussia and joined by new levies.
Even then the army was greatly in
ferior to that of the invaders. But
it had the advantage of better CON-
muMcation lines. of a region capable
OF easy defence, and above all of be-
ing led by general who soon proved
his claim to high ability. With true
Napoleonic skill, Won Hindenburg
manoeuvred so as to meet the enemy
in detail and quickly had him in dis
.tress. TWO Russian armies were vir-
tually annihilated, the prisoners
numbering $4,000
This ended the first invasion. But
Germany took warning and built up
a strong offensive line in the east to
carry the war into Poland. Austria.
too. needed stiffening. The energetic
initiative of Russia had transformed
the eastern campaign into one Of ac-
tivity and fighting on scale of un-
precedented size and fierceness. 1t
has continued to the present, quite in
contrast to the sit-down-and-stick-to
il style of siege warfare in the west,
to afford most Of the real action Of
the great conflict Battles covering
vast theatres in which millions con-
tend for weeks at time before the
final issue are not uncommon. Swift
movements and concentrations take
place, followed by decisive action.
The eastern warfare is great spec
tacle compared with that of the west.
The tide of battle has ebbed and
flowed After ten months neither
side has demopstrated its suprem-
aey Both have enjoyed victory and
tasted defeat, and both have shown
remarkable power.4vof recuperation.
This latter feature deserves atten-
ton. First it was the Austrians who
under crushing defeats, seemed to be
down and out. But with German
support they came back so strongly
that they forced Russia on the de-
fensive. The Germans, falling in
their first attempt on Warsaw, we're
expelled from Poland only to return
at once and VIGOROUSLY establish
themselves there. AS for the Rus
SLAMS. they have sustained two over
whelming reYerses in East Prussia,
have scarcely held their own in the
north, and recently by victorious
career in Galicia, crowned by the
capture of Przemysl with the
promise of the rich plains of Hun
gary before them. has been turned to
"a disastrous reverse, with the loss of
much territory and nearly 10000
men. One would say that surely Rus
STA could not possibly recover from
this latest rout, and yet it will short
ly appear, we imagine, that her pow
er is by no means broken Her new
levy of million stalwart young men
is about ready to take the field. She
has started a $50O,OO0o00 internal
loan and shows not the slightest sign
of quailing.
Yet Russia is fighting at tremend
GUS disadvantage and her war burden
is heavy one. Comparatively she
is poor and debt-ridden. With good
crops she need not fear famine, but
she cannot produce the vast quantit-
les of war munitions necessary to
equip her armies and must depend
on importations, largely from the
United States. These can reach her
only by the long railroad line across
Siberia or through the Arctic port of
Archangel, which is ice-closed much
of the year. Through these chan
nels only can Russia send out the
grain and petroleum to pay for them.
1t was a master stroke when the leu
tons involved Turkey in the war and
closed the Dardanelles to her. If
they could be opened it would be
worth million soldiers to the Allies
in this juncture.