Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-02-11
Campaign of Russians Puts
Western Engagements
in the Background
HUGE MASSES ARE
GETTING IN ACTION
Neither Side Making Great
Progress But Result Is.
of Much Importance

London. Feb 10.-The eastern pat
tie front completely overshadows the
western fighting line today as the CEN
ter of interest in the military opera
tions The Teutonic allies evidently
are making desperate efforts to ad-
vance. especially in the region OF
Galicia. to the south of PrZemysl and
Lemberg. where attempts have been
made to gain positions by sheer weight
Of numbers.
The general offensive movement of
the Austra-German forces along the
Carpathian mountains has been sue
cessful at the eastern end of the range,
where the Russians are retreatlng into
B.kowina, but London military experts
are of the opinion that the Austrians
must forge ahead long way In this
direction before they can hope to al
feet the general Russian position.
The vital point is Dukla pass, where
a short advance by the Russians would
compel the Austrians to look anxiously
to their communications. At present
the battle in the region of Dukla pass
has all the aspects Of draw.
The most sanguinary fighting, ac-
cording to Russian reports. took place
in the Carpathian mountains where
the Germans attempted to cross Tux
holka pass The Teutons attacked IN
massed formation several ranks deep
and gained several heights occupied
by the Russians, only to be forced
hack by desperate counter attacks.
Poth sides must have suffered terrible
losses in this hand to hand battle.
A German report states that heavy
artillery actions are in progress IN the
Carpa thians and that an advance Is be-
ing made on Bukowina where the I'M
portant town of Wanna has been oc-
cupied by the Austro-German forces.
Russians Tell of Battles.
Petrograd, Feb. 10.-The general
staff of the Russian army has given
out an official statement as follows:
''The Germans, who gradually had
been concentrating in east Prussia
with fresh troops, began a series OF
energetic Reconnaissance a2d on
February I they opened offensive
operations. with considerable forces,
in the district between Horzele and
Johannesburg. They undertook at the
same time active operations on both
wings of their front in east Prussia.
In the vicinity Of Lasdehnen, to the
east of Tilsit, we drove back a Ger
man attack and succeeded in almost
completely annihilating one Of the
German battalions opposed to us. Fol
lowing this encounter, our cavalry
moved forward in the direction Of
Sierpec, travelling over the road to
Rypin.
"On the left bank of the Vistula,
during the day Of February g. the en-
emy showed no signs Of activity.
Judging from the corpses abandon
ed by the Germans in front of our
positions, they would appear to have
lost in dead and wounded several
tens of thousands o. men in the six
davs' fighting In front of BortimoW,
Goumine and VIOLA Szydlowiecka.
"In the Carpathians the fighting
continues in the vicinity of Bartfeld
and Syidnik. The enemy here under
took active operations but they did
not thus continue and they finally re-
tired, leaving prisoners in our hands.
In the vicinity of Mount Loupkow we
continued our pursuit of the enemy,
and IN one Qay we Cdptuleu sAAtJ -A'tAo
officers 5000 men and eighteen ma
chine guns.
German columns. having made
their way over the Tukholka pass, de-
livered during the day of February
no less than twenty-five violent at
tacks on certain heights in the region
of Koziouwka, occupied by us. The
Germans came forward to this attack
several ranks deep, presenting full
front line.
under our violent cross fire the
Germans here twice took possession
of a certain height but they We're dis