The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-01-11
Says Defeat of Turkish Forces in the
Caucasus Is One of Most Signifc-
ant Events of Struggle.
CHARGES PROVE RELUCTANCE
Move of General Won Hindenberg in
Changing Warsaw Position Re-
garded as Being Most Daring Act
(By J. w. T. MasOn)

NEW 1Oik, jail. l1.-lue ucIcdC u
the Turkish forces in the Caucasus
and disclosures Of dissentions among
the Turks and Germans were the
significant events of the weeks war
moves. It would be premature to
say that Russia's victories at Sarika-
mash and Arabian are in themselves
decisive, for the Mussulmans have
rallied along their own frontier.
But the readiness with which Ger
man strategy is blamed for the Turks
plight indicates the campaign against
Russia is being waged with reluct-
ance by the Mohammedans, who
would rather fight for their corelig-
ionists in Egypt than for the Chris
tian objective. Nevertheless, the
fundamental reasons for Germany's
eastern campaign do not suffer essen
TALLY by reason of the Turkish de-
feat. Germany's immediate objec-
tive in securing the assistance of Tur-
key is served when Russia weakens
her armies in Poland for operations
along the Caucasus-Asia Minor
frontier.
Invasion is Remote.
If an offensive in Armenia follows
the Caucasus victory, still more men
will have to be diverted from the Pol
ish campaign and the danger of an
eventual invasion of Prussia becomes
remote.
Russia's movement across the Car
pathians into Northern Hungary has
made no progress during the week.
Instead a further change seems to
have been ordered in the Russian
strategy. The rapidity of Slav adj
vances through Bukovinia has seem
ed to indicate the necessity of press
ing the advance upon Buda Pest from
the east rather than the north. Ger
man achievements have been sent
to stiffen Austrian resistance and the
disposition of these reinforcements
may have caused Russian general
staff to rely upon the Bukovina ad
vance instead of the Carpathian
movement upon the Magyar capital.
General Unsuccessful.
The proximity of Roumania, too,
would make the advance from Buko-
VIVA far more effective, if, during the
progress of the Hungarian campaign,
Roumania were to enter the war
Field Marshal Won Hindenberg be-
gan during the week, an effort to
move part of his army west of War
saw across the Vistula to deliver a
flank attack upon the capital. He Sc
. lected the island where the Bzura
river flows into the Vistula as the
most available point of attack, but
apparently has not succeeded in hold
ing the island sufficiently long to con-
struct pontoon bridges.
This effort of the German COM
mander to approach Warsaw with his
Vistula army, is due to the failure Of
Gen. Francis to advance from the
north. No such instance of daring
has occurred during the war Sue
cess will permit the Germans to get
within siege guns fire of the Warsaw
forts along positions free of marsh
lands.
Has Been Inactive.
The campaign in France and Bel
GUM has been inactive during the
week. Only in Southern Alsace has
fighting of any seriousness occurred
in the west. It is still inconclusive
and the French have not got within
striking distance of any of the Rhine
Cities
When the allies are able to move
against the river Notifications, they
will have their own 42-centimeter
guns ready for use. Lord Haldane.
the British chancellor, announced at
the end of the week that the devasta-
ting mortars had been discovered and
that England was now manufacturing
similar ones. Lord Haldane's state
ment means that the Rhine is not i'm