Evening star., 1915-03-01
PETR0GRAD CLAIMS PLAN
OF GERMANS HAS FAILED
Defeat at Przasnysz. 1t Is Asserted.
Makes Vain Tactics of
Won Hindenburg,
TERMED A DIsoRDERLY RoUr
Retreat of Kaiser's Forces Declared
to Have Been Most Precipitste
in Eastern Theater o.
Conflict.

LONDON. March Interest
Ill the fighting along the eastern
battle front has been DETECTED for
the moment from the Carpathian.
to the north OF Poland. where the
Russians appear to be making
desperate effort to regain the
ground Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg won when he threw them
back from East Prussia.
Consequently, the stubborn
struggle continues on the line
from the Bobr to the Narew.
where Grand Duke Nicholas has
yet to establish his ascendency
Vienna reports violent en-
gagement in Bukowina without
saying anything about the out
come. while Petrograd claims to
have checked the Austro-German
advance in this region.
Say German Plan Has Failed.
PETRCGEAp. March 1. i.l5 nan.
via LoIdon-The highest Importance
is attached by the Russian military
authorities to the German defeat at
Przasnysz. 1t is asserted By RUSSIA
staff officers that the Germans hope
of success during their operations Of
the last fortnight along the northern
front was based upon their confidencs
in breaking the Russian line a. Pa
zasnysz.
This attempt by the Germans 70
strengthen the position of their left
wing. which was an important part Of
their plan for gigantic encompa ssins
movement extending from Augustowo
to Eastern Galicia. is said today by the
Russian eaders to have failed def
nitely.-
Retreat Declared a Rout.
The Russians assert that the retire.
ment of the Germans in the north +,
more precipitate and disorderly than
any previous retreat in this theater OF
the war They state that the Germans
have abandoned large numbers of
heavy and light guns. and have even
left behind slightly wounded soldiers
in an effort to execute hasty retreat
This condition OF affairs. according to
the Russian viewpoint. assumes added
significance from the fact that the Ger
mans are said to have employed some
of their best troops in this lighting
Were Confident of Success.
There are many indications that tho
Germans were entirely confident OF
success.
The reported German plan for under
taking a siege Of Grodno would now
appear to be venturesome. with tho
Russians advancing along the left bank
of the River Niemen toward East Prus-
sia and endangering the position of the
German left flank. The claim made
here that all the German troops which
recently crossed the Niemen have
again been forced back to the other
bank.
Although reports from the operations
in Galicia are incomplete, It would ap-
pear that the Austrians were making
lltle HSduWdy III attempt 10 IOrCS
the Russians to retire from that prov
ince.
New Offensive Planned.
The seeming diminished power Of the
German operations from the EistuIa TO
the Niemen. which is particularly eyi-
denced in the fighting around Przas-
nysz has led the Russian general staff
10 plan a new offensive movement Ac-
cording to the general staff. operations
are now in a transitory stage. preceu-
Ing the beginning by the Russians Of q
general aggressive campaign over the
whole of the northern front.
Reports received from Przasnysz say
that that town was alulost totally de-
in the fierce and uninterrupted
lighting during the last week. The Of
fcial reports declare that during the
battle. which extended over a wide
front toward Ossowetz. the garrison of
the Ossowet1 fortress made success
full sortie and brought back number OF
German officers who were observing the
operations from tree tops.
The Russians claim that the Ger
mans advanced in the valley of the
Bobr river without sufficient protec-
ton and were fallen upon before they
could assume fighting formation. From
across the Bobr six German batteries
tried to prevent the annihilation of
the German battalion, but We're effec-
lively ailenced by Russian artillery
Claim Credit for Initiative.
serns-otIicial announcement is made
in Petrograd as follows:
Russian troops should be credited
with the initiative of the offensive
movement north OF Grodno.
.prisoners and artillery captured by
the Russians north of Grodno are from
the best corps of the German armies
now in the eastern battle front.
"Russian progress in the region OF
Przasnyss has been notable. We have
captured one village after another
taking several hundred prisoners in
each place. In other sections the GSp- =