New Britain herald., 1915-02-22
RUSSIAN RETIREMENT
 FROM EAST PRUSSIA
Due to Lack of StrattgC Railways
 to Concentrate Troops.

Petrograd Feb. 22.-Explanation of the Russian retirement from East Prussia is contained in a communica- tion given out last night by the gen. eral staff. Success of the German coup is attributed largely to the lack of strategic railways which prevented the Russians from concentrating with necessary rapidity on our east Prussian front forces indispensabl ble to ward off this drive of the enemy.
 The general staff asserts that the massing of German troops in East Prussia was revealed to the Russians on February 4, but that the magnitude of the concentration did not become known until several days later. Be- cause of these conditions, it is stated, withdrawal of the Tenth Russian army from East Russia towards the frontier was decided upon. This was followed later by further retirement towards the Niemen and the Bobri rivers. The communication follows:
 Germans Adopted New Plan.
 The Germans, after a series of ex- ceptionally obstinate and tenacious attacks which cost them innumerable victims, became persuaded of the inn possibility of dislodging us from the left bank of the Vistula and proceed ed at the end of January to put a new plan into operation.
 Having finished the formation in the interior of their country of sev- eral new corps and deciding to con- tinue the transportation of troops from their west front in order to make a supreme effort against Us, utilizing their network of railroads, the Germans were enabled to launch an overwhelming force against our Tenth army, which occupied strongly organized positions along the An geraph river and the Mazurian lakes.
 Revealed to Russians.
 ITO assure the success of this coup the Germans transported also part of their contingents from the fronts on the RaWka, the Bzura and the right bank of the Vistula. This gathering of Germans in East Prussia was re- vealed to us on February. 4, but the magnitude of the concentration was not determined until several days later
 "Not being able, through lack of railroad facilities, to concentrate on cur east Prussian front, with .. the necessary Idplully IOICeS lilulsp6llSdDic to ward off this drive of the enemy, our chiefs decided to withdraw the above mentioned army from East Prussia towards the frontier and far ther retirement towards the Niemen and the Bobri has followed.'
 Tn these movements the right wing of the tenth army, pressed by great numbers of the enemy and threatened with being surrounded on the right flank, was compelled to make a very swift turning movement in the direction of Kovno.
 Extremely Dangerous Position.
 This lnaneuver exposed the flank of the corps following which, conse quently found itself in an extremely dangerous position, and only broken and disorganized portions succeeded in escaping from this district.
 "Other corps of the tenth army, continuously and stubbornly, slowly retreated in the direction marked out for them by their com manders. On taking up these posi- tions the Russian troops bravely re- pulsed the attacking enemy, inflicting upon him severe losses, and over coming incredible difficulties caused by the deep snow, which covered all | the TOadS. The fOdQS DGlnS 1mpaSS- ! able, automobiles were not able to run and train were delayed in reach 1 ing their destination. 1
 Held For Nine Days.
 "Retreating slowly step by step one ] corps, forming the left wing of the { tenth army, held the enemy for nine | days on lines which ordinarily are l traversed in four days.
 "On Feb. 19 these corps fell back 1 Augustowo, retired from the 1 battle at Sphoc and assumed the for tified positions indicated for them.
 Fighting Very Stubborn.
 At the present moment actions on the German front continue before Os- soWetz, upon the roads from Lomza to Sdvabno, and north of Kadibidly, on the road between Plotsk and Plonslx.
 In some places the fighting is very stu bborn.
 'On the right bank of the Nistula, | on the roads from Plotsk, Austrian have ben relieved by ! German troops