The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-26
Opinion Expressed Sorely Be-
set Nation May Soon Unoh-
cially Seek Separate Peace
Won FALKENHAYN
CROSSES ALT RIVER
He Now Has Clear Sweep
Against Bucharest - Won
Mackensen 10 Now Crossing
Danube


of the campaign against Rumania. the
drive on her capital. Bucharest. Is in
full swing Having crossed the Dan
ube, so far as Is officially known at
two places. Field Marshal Won Mack
ensen's Bulgaro-Gernan army Is ad-
vancing on the historic fortress from
the southwest, along two railways,
working toward q junction with the
whose iegions are sweeping down upon
the capital from the west and north
west The last natural barrier. the
Alt River. was crossed today
The Teuton junction and the sub
sequent siege OF bucharest are con-
coded here to be only a matter OF
time. Mackensen Is now less than
seventy miles from Bucharest. Falk-
enhayn some ninety miles. The most
menacing blow is YET to be struck
Ii IL believed when Mackensen's CEN
ter crosses the Danube at Turtukat
bridgehead. only thirty-seven miles
southeast Of Bucharest.
Advance. From Three Sides.
The advance on the capital now is
~ III tu4t fsRkitsH EiViAI AAAttN S'A'S-
The next few DAYS are expected to
hiring reports OF peace parieys be-
tween Rumania and the central pow
crs and Bulgaria The case OF Mon
scnpErn II is believed viii lie repeat
ed a. IN that case. the reports Will
he based upon vague proposals made
by factions in the invaded Kingdom
Independent from the real rulers.
Flatfooted Rumaaia+n capituiation will
rot come, even the most pessimtstic
observers here believe until Bueha-
rest has fallen. The unquer cha BILE
hatred OF King Ferdinand's people for
tae Bulgarian invaders, a hatred
which is fully mutual. Will stand in
the way of any such development. 1t
Is believed. Meanwhile the Pumanian
government is expected 10 flee shortly
from the menacei capital Braiia
probably will be chosen as the tenn
porary seat OF the nations author
it4es
The latest official news of the war
came from Berlin tonight, Parts of
the army group OF Field Marshal Won
Nackensen which crossed the Danube
near Svistov gained ground" said a
bulletin or the German war office,
Further gains by Falkenhayn on the
middle and lower Ait also was re-
ported. The German afternoon re-
ports stated that in the wooded noun
tains northeast of Turnu-Severinu Ru-
~ snian battalions cut off from the
.nain army are stu offering tenacious
resistance" In tho stubborn defense
put up by this Inflated Rumanian
force, the last Of King Ferdtnand's
army chain TO hold out. battling to
she last even. in the certainty of doom
- seen one OF the most impressive
chapters of real heroism of this war.
Crossed at Mouth of Alt.
The German oficial statements are
significantly silent AS regards the
points where the Danube was crossed
by Mackensen. The bulletins of the
Rumanian and Russian war offices
show, however. that crossings were
effected near Zimnitza. seventy miles
southeast of Bucharest and at the
mouth of the Alt. south of Islaza
From both these points railways lead
northward. converging at Rosiori. to-
ward which town Falkenhayn is driv-
ing from Craiova-
Bucharest this afternoon reported
that the forces which crossed the
by Rumanian resistance. This was
prior to the latest Berlin report. how
ever. The Buigarians have occupied
4 series of isls nds In the Danube
southeast OF Craiova. In the Do
brudja there were no important ac-
lions during the last twenty-f four
hours. but todav's Bulgarian statement
speaks OF minor advances by "supe.
rior numbers" of Russians and Ru-
manians.
On the eastern front only local en-
gagements were fought
Won FAkcnhayn Felicitates.
General Falkenhayn, according to
q Berlin dispatch, today issued q proc
lamation to his army. reading in part:
Comrades OF the Ninth Army. You
have had to fight weeks on Ice
bound. rocky heights and In deep,
snow-covered valleys. nearly always
without shelter and lire and often cut
off from all communication.
But none of you failed. Wherever
the enemy had to De bound. he was
detained with an iron grip. Where he
had to be crushed he was pulverized.
Where he had to be beaten he was hit
into the heart"
General establishment in Rumania
because OF Russia's failure to avert
disaster from the kingdom was re-
ported by the Overseas News Agency