New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14
Grand Dukes Troops Said
to Have Been Surprised
in East Prussia.
CARPATHIAN MOVE
CALLED DIVERSION
Cars Columns Apparent
ly Successful in the
Southern Theatre.

Berlin Via London, Feb. 13.-The
success of the Germans in East Prus-
STA emphasizes, according to the view
held here, the quiet strategy Of Field
! Marshal Won Hindenburg, which is de-
signed at striking an enemy when and
where the blow is least expected.
After the Russian strength on the
Warsaw front proved too great and
! 1anking movement became necessary
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg decided
TO choose the left wing, owing to the
better equipment of East Prussia with
railways and because the colder
weather offered better prospects for
successful operations, the snow being
no hndrance.
Won Hindenburg yelled his plans by
reinforcing the Austrians in the Car
pathians in order &c make a strong
diversion and mislead the Russians into
thinking that the real fanking move
ment was to be carried out there. Mean
while he assembled a strong army
above the Mazurian Lakes, composed
for the most part of fresh recruits,
Major Moraht, the military critic OF
the "Berliner Tageblatt," calls atten-
ton to the fact that the Russians had
strongly fortified their positions,
proceeding which, he points out, only
enhances Won Hindenburg's tactics.
In the opinion of this critic, Grand
Duke Nicholas evidently intended to
carry out an offensive after breaking
the German lines, and hence the de-
feat must have a very unfayorable ef-
feet upon the general Russian plan,
for this, he adds, was "a defeat in the
fullest meaning Of the word" as evil
denced by the immense booty and the
hasty evacuation of the position men
toned in the official bulletin.
Major Moraht thinks that one of the
first effects of this success will be seen
IN the region north Of the Vistuls,
eastward Of Thorn, where the Rus
SLAMS some time ago advanced west
ward across the Skrwa River.
German Organizers Superior.
"This movement" continues the wri-
ter, evidently was designed by Grand
Duke Nicholas TO relieve the pressure
on the Warsaw front. He miscalcu-
/ lated, however, the strength Of the pos
sible German advance from West
Prussia, which here, too, is already
I shatterin;, the Russian general plan of
campaign, as shown IN the operations
to the north and west of Sierpeo,
where the Germans captured hundreds
of prisoners in two days fighting, end
ing with the occupation Of Sierpeo.
"These successes in the eastern arena
prove the superiority Of the German
talent for organization, which causes
painful establishment for the Russians.
| This talent is not connected with any
| one name, so far as it is now under
stood; it is not the work OF any IN
J dividual and prominent leader IKE
! Napoleon q century ago. These great
| German achievements in creating new
armies will perhaps be attributed later
| to the genius of single great or
ganizer. At any rate, our capacity Tor
creating armies and putting them on
| the right spot proves that the German
! General staff is continually utilizing
the experiences gained in the Franco
| Prussian War.
| "But what a different aspect is pre-
scented by the present wal, in matters
! of organization! Prepared by lnces-
l
ecuted with profound self-confidence
and grounded upon a whole peoples
spirit of self-sacrifice in peace and war,
| a movement has resulted which must
succeed.
Germans Surprise Themselves.
"Whoever had imagined few
months ago that German armies would
be operating on the Rumanian frontier
and in the Carpathians would have
been regarded as a fantastic dreamer.
! Whoever had tried to demonstrate in
I figures the numbers Of German troops
now actually rolling toward the from
| tiers by railway would have been dis
believed even by large part Of the
active army officers. The dangers Of the
! situation, with enemies on all sides,
/ have given the German people the pew
err of a giant who advances from one
victory TO another"
The military expert Of the "Mittag
Zeitung," Major Won Schreibershoher,
writes:
"The victory must have a decisive
effect upon the general operations:
The Germans seized the initiative and
have achieved results which will have
lasting effects and bring Germany and
Austria a long step toward final de-
cision. Their operations have devel-
oped in an extraordinarily favorable
manner and the foundations have been
laid for further successes. The latest
victories in East Prussia, the Car
pathians and Bukowina are the first
steps toward further blows for crush
ing the enemy"
The municipalities composing great
er Berlin have virtually decided, owing
10 the vast eXpenditures caused by the