El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-16
lsHINGTON. D. q. Jan 1s.-The

MA present ELleL UEJeCLlNGS Oh the
Russian advance in Poland
CCracow being merely by the way) are
Breslau and Konigsberg. If the Car S
forces are successful, both Of these
cities, which are among the greatest
of Germany's commercial centers, and
nightly fortified. will soon experience
the horrors of prolonged and system
/ attic siege.
Most people in this spacious country
of ours fail to realize distances in Eu-
rOpe-hOw relatively short they are.
I They do not know that the whole of
Germany is less in size than the state
of Texas. When they look at news
paper war map, they do not grasp the
fact that the Russian front at the
present moment is much nearer to
Breslau than is Philadelphia to New
York city. 1t does not occur to them
that the advance guards of the car
are no further away from ngsberS
than is Baltimore from Washington.
Is Prussia's Second.
Breslau is the second city of Prus-
STA. In point Of population and impor-
tnace it is inferior only to Berlin it
self. As for KOnigSberg, it is the
ancient home of the Prussian kings,
where William I, grandfather of the
present kaiser, crowned himself in 1851
as did also his ancestor, Frederick
I, 100 years earlier.
Breslau is only 200 miles from Berlin
"a journey of less than five hours by
train. The distance is not so great as
that which separates New York from
Washington. It's Importance to the Rus
SLAMS, if they capture il, is suggested
by the circumstance that it is the
center of a network of railroads con-
Meeting it with Austria and Russia,
and with the chief towns of north and
central Germany.
Is Great Wool Market.
The city of Breslau is the capital of
Silesia, and has more than half a mill
lion inhabitants. Situated as it is on a
deep waterway connecting the Elbe
with the Vistula, it is natural
center Of trsde-bustling, prosperous,
and wealthy. 1t is the greatest market
for wool on the European continent
wool fairs" being held there in June
of each year-and immense coal de-
pOsits in the near neighborhoOd have
helped to develop its important manu-
featuring industries, the production of
steam machinery chief among them.
The city is very old. and has had
many political viCissitudes Originally
Slav, it-belouged to Poland up to 1113,
and later TO Bohemia. Afterwards it
became the property of Prussia, and,
having PASSED into the hands of Aus
tria for a while, it was recovered for
Prussia by Frederick the Great The
French took possession Of it in 1907,
after a siege by Marshal Nandamme
who levelled its Qualifications. the
lines of which are now marked by a
system of beautiful promenades sep
arating the "oId town" from its sub
urbe.
1t was in Breslau that the patriotic
movement began, in 1S13-almOst eX-
actIy a century agO-which had for its
object the overthrow of French rule
and which eventually led to the liber-
alton of Germany and the ruin of Ma
poleon. Today the city is the head
quarters of the Sixth Army corps. and
even in peace times has a formidable
garrison of troops of all arms.
Dates Back To Middle Ages
Breslau bestrides the river Oder. the
largest part of the city Including the
old town. being on the left or west
bank. The old town is very interesting,
with quaint churches and narrow
streets of houses dating back to the
middle ages There is a cathedral. be-
gun in 114S, and finished at the close
of the fifteenth century, filled with
treasures, the most important Of which
is a high altar of beaten silver. The
town hall a beautiful Gothic struc-
ture is nearly 600 years old. In it the
diets of Silesia formerly held their
councils, adjourning for informal dis
cussions to a beer and wine keller