Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-13
RUSSIANS BACK UP
FOR FRESH START
Petrograd Says Retreat in East
Prussia is Preparation for a
Decisive Move.


PETROGRAD, Feb. 12-Further ex-
PLANTATION Of the retirement Of the Rus
sian forces In East PrLssip is made to-
day. IN an official statement. which says;
TT Is believed we are upon the eve OF
a great operation which must solve def
initely the struggle in east Prussia"
Warning is given that because of the
necessity for military secrecy little IN
formation may be expected regarding
the operations which are about to begin.
the Russians are seeking the shelter of
their own fortresses. the statement as
serts. before attempting to take more
concentrated locations from which to
oppose the heavily reinforced Germans.
The Russians claim the garrison of the
fortress of Prsemsysl is exhausting it,
self IN fruitless sorties. A final repulse OF
the Germans. who temporarily occupied
the heights Of Kosiouvska, after twenty
two assaults. is reported. The commune
cation follows;
ut has been established that recently
there have appeared in East Prussia four
new corps of the German army. consist
ing partly Of troops transported from the
west 'front.' partly OF new recruits and
partly Of reserve forces.
This radically changed conditions and
involved the necessity OF our troops re-
firing TO facilitate decomposition. to To-
cations more concentrated. This object,
II was believed, could be better attained
upon our own territory in the shelter of
our fortresses.
1T lie believed we are upon the eve Of
a great operation which must solve
definitely the struggle in East Prussia
This circumstance renders it necessary
that few inquiries be made concerning
future combats. taking account of the
strict necessity for the observance of
military secrecy.
AFTER twenty-five frustrated attempts
the Germans succeeded in occupying in
great force. after Desperate struggle.
the heights Of Koziouvka. but were dis
lodged after a violent bayonet attack,
leaving so dead.
THE garrison of the fortress OF
Preznys is exhausting itself In fruitless
attacks, maintaining an irregular fire
against our blcckading troops.
"On the Black Sea. the Russians have
sunk the Turkish transport Broussa,
laden with $1,000 pounds Of provisions"
Russians Strengthen Second Line.
BERLIN. Feb. 12-Cvia London 1.-THE
HAoAAN@@~N
patch from a correspondent on the Rus
sian border. who says the Russians are
employing thousands Of laborers to
strengthen their second line of defense.
At the fortresses OF Ivangorod. Brest
Latovsk and Koyno men are working
day and night. At Brest Ltovsk arrange
ments have been made to flood the en-
tire district and for distance OF seventy
ha fOrf-
resses has been barred to ordinary travel.
Great stores OF ammunition and provi-
si6ns are being laid in.
These preparations. the correspondent OF
the National Zeitung goes on to say, make
the inhabitants fear that the Russians
soon will be seen falling back.
Grand Duke Nicholas. the Russian
commander-in-chief IN the field. and
General Russly enjoy the fullest conf
dence Of the people, the correspondent
continues. The grand duke is just now
at the height OF his power. and he is
very popular with the Russian soldiers.
Referring to the Russian people, the cor
respondent says:
1T must be admitted that there are no
signs OF the Russian people becoming
tired OF the war; small peace party
but it "a without influence"
Russians Hold DuIElR Pass.
A correspondent of the Lokal Anzeigel
who Is In the Carpathian mountains tele-
graphs his paper of the very heavy fight
ing recently in the Dukla pass The Rus
SLAMS. he says. were determined to break
through at any sacrifice. 1t appeared al
first impossible to check their attack
and they gained slowly but steadily. In
the last three days, however, they have
been brought to a standstill. but they are
stiu on Hungarian soil and the heights
of the pass are in their hands.
The Russian infantry suffered terribly
in it's massed attack, this correspondent
continues. The thawing weather is bring
ing almost unbearable odors from tn,
fields of battle, and special sanitary
measures are being taken with the ides
Of preventing an outbreak OF sickness.