Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-22
RUSSIANS HOLDING OWN
IN TERRIFIC BATTLES
Signs That Supreme Austro-German
Effort in East Is Losing Its
Momentum.
MILLIONS OF MEN ENGAGED
Difficult to Realize Stupendous Ma
ture Of Plan to Paralyze Military
Power OF Czar-Emperor William
Said to Be Directing Operations.
Especial to Tho Timcs-Dispatcb.

Especial to Tho Times Dispatch
PETROGRAD, May 21.-Althourh
there are signs that the supreme Aus.
tro-German effort on this front is losing
its momentum, 1t Is premature to as
sumo that the turning point Of the great
battle has been reached. or that the
enemy Will not make even further prog
ress before he is finally brought to a
standstill.
north OF Jaroslau. and on the flank of
Prsemysl, where he has succeeded in
capturing some OF the front trenches
near Gussakof. twelve miles southeast
OF the fortress.
Elsewhere on the main front. the
Russians are holding their own, while
on the TANKS. on the left bank OF the
Nistula and in Kukowina. they con-
tinue to drive the enemy before them.
Only now can one fully realize the
stupendous nature Of the plan OF the
Austro-Germans to paralyze the mill
tary power OF Russia and so leave
themselves free to deal with the allies
in the west.
OF forces engaged and the expenditure
OF ammunition. exceeds all other fea-
lures OF this war.
On the main section Of the vistula
to Bukowina, the enemy Is believed
to have dcployed 100000 men. while
his total present strength on this front
Is estimated at double that number.
Merely in the Galician advance he
brought up 1000 guns. and in a few
days had discharged something like
100000 shells
EMPEROR WILLIAM
DIRECTING OPERATIONS
1t is authoritatively stated that EN-
pcror William Is at present In the
Jaroslau district. personally directing
the operations. 1t Is expected that he
will remain there until the question OF
1taly's participation in the war is
finally decided when a Encouragement
of the Austro-Cierman armies may be
necessary.
The other chief leaders OF the
enemy's forces are Generals Marwltz,
Won Mackenzen. Voyersch and Dankl
General Won Hindenburs is believed
now to he on the western front. The
enemy is still adding to his numbers,
but his losses have been so great that
no system OF reinforcements can keep
pace with them.
At the beginning of last week, when
the fighting was comparatively sub
dued. the casualties of the Australians
and Germans averaged 10000 daily
and some of the regiments had been
reduced to n single company. Alto
gether it is computed that between
one-third and onc-fourth OF his in
fantry already have dropped out Of
line. These figures include 10000 pris-
oners. About n score of guns also
have been captured, and hundreds
moro have been left behind in earlier
positions, either because the teams
were killed or starved, or because II
was impossible to keep up the supply
of ammunition for this vast force Of
artillery.
In authoritative military circles il
is stated that the situation as whole
is quite satisfactory for the Russians.
Though the enemy may gain further
territorial advantage. IL is exceedingly
improbable that any of the troops now
engaged in Galicia ever will be in
condition to return to the western
front.