The Detroit times., 1915-08-06


idly To a close. The Russians are
everywhere in retreat. from the Bal.
tic 10 Galica, their armies threat.
ened with disaster
Occupation OF the great Russian
Baltic seaport of Riga by q German
army is now only q matter Of hours.
Ivangorod. the Russian fortress de-
Tending Warsaw from the southeast,
has been captured by the Austrians,
according TO an Official bulletin from
Vienna. Novo Georgievsk. lying
north OF Warsaw and considered I'm.
rregnahle, is being hastily evacuat-
ed by the Russian garrison which Is
falling back in confusion TO escape
capture at the hands OF the Bava-
rians who entered Warsaw.
Won Hindenburg, on the north.
and Mackensen. on the south, are
smashing away in simultaneous at
tacks against the Russian TANKS.
squeezing In the wings of the beaten
armies and threatening the capture
OF whole army corps. The world
has never witnessed such a retreat.
In the north the Slavs are lighting
with rare courage and desperation
to save the warsaw-Petrograd rail
way toward which General Won Bue-
low is battering his way. In the
southeast the enemy's resistance Is
equally determined, the flower OF
the Russian army endeavoring to
halt Mackensen's rush northward In
the direction OF Brest Litovsk, a
march that spells disaster TO the
Russian left.
Between these two wings, the
S!avs are falling back steadily, at
tempting to wheel more than l.000,-
900 men into a straight front to
block the German steam roller. The
greatest strategist OF the ages could
not organize such a gigantic retreat
without sustaining heavy losses in
military men here. Consequently
the rout Of whole Russian armies
was predicted in military circles
here today.
So engrossed Is the German pub
lie In the mighty effort now being
made to cut OF the Russian retreat
that there was little speculation
here today regarding Germany's
next move. In oficial circles, the
hint was dropped last night that
the next stroke OF the German
armies will astonish the world.
From Warsaw itself little infor-
nation had been received here to-
day, though II was understood that
the fleeing garrison was being hot
ly pursued. This was taken to
mean either that the Russians had
not succeeded In destroying all the
vistula bridges in their hasty flight
or that the Bavarian prince had
held pontoons in readiness and had
quickly bridged the stream.
At least 100000 Russians, fighting
in the angle whoee apex rested on
Novo Georgievsk fortress. are be-
lieved to be threatened with cap
fure by the fall of the Polish cap
ital. Retreat for them was possibly
only over two railways, both lead.
ing to the eastern suburbs Of War.
saw.
To take either of these after War.
saw had fallen was to deliver them.
selves into the hands of the Ger.
mans. To retreat over the plain In
the northeasteriy direction alons
the Bug river was to face the
danger Of being cut on by German
advance over the warsaw.Petrograd
railway.
Before nightfall. the Russians who
escaped from Warsaw are expected
to have begun arriving at Novo
Minsk, ~ miles east of the capital.
Il was not expected that the slavs
would attempt any serious stand d.
rectIy east Of Praga.
Capture of Riga, OF almost equal
Importance from the military point
of view a. the taking Of warsaw
10 expected to be announced before
tomorrow night. German troops al
ready are within artillery range Of
the city and German aeroplanes
have dropped circulars In the heart
OF the town announcing that the
Germans are about to enter. The
Russians In the Riga district are
now maneuvering only with the OBJ
ject OF making good their escape.