New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-23
Germans Plan Mighty
Adpance on PetrOgrad
Russians Expect Combined Land and Water Attack
on Riga and Rcval-Kuropatkn Pitted Against
Won Hindcnburg and Fleet

next in importance TO Riga at the bot
tom.
II such an attempt succeeded Riga
would at once become untcnablc for the
Russians and kuropatkin's right flank
would be grsvely threatened. The Ger
mans would then have fair chance TO
take Reval at the mouth OF the Oulf OF
Finland. stretching straight eastward
to Kronstadt and Petrograd. little more
than two hundred miles away.
Revsl is a fortified seaport and ar
senal, OF course munitions making
centre. and one OF the chief naval Keys
TO the Baltic. Peter the Great no sooner
CONQUERED than he began to turn II into
a base for his new feet II IL were
taken the German feet would move on
helping turn the Russian flank on land,
covering Hindenburg's further advance
toward Petrograd itself.
Germans are still tempted by daz-
cling vision of marching into that cap
ital. Berlin hopes that by such a dow
Sweden might be excited into ATTACKING
Finland.
Travellers recently arrived from
Stockholm assure me, however, that
apart from the strength OF the Demo
cratic opposition TO war IN sweden the
attitude of the extreme antI-Russiah
parties in that country has been more
temperate and reserved since the Ger
man failure TO conquer Nerdun.
The Duel on Land.
On land the duel would be fought out
between Hndenburg and kuropath'h.
The Germans. with the orrsgance no"
the common bane OF their character as
.ervility was in former generation
profess TO despise kuropatkin. IL Is
an exceedingly premature view. ..
In the Manchurian war. at the end OF
q single railway thousands OF miles
from his base. with sea power against
him and fighting under every strategy,
cal disadvantage. Kuropatkin eXtricated
the Russian army at Liao-fsng. lie
did il again as the Japanese were com
pleting their cnvelopement at Mukden'
In that struggle kuropatkin Tore
Swallowed the system of trench defence
which has revolutionized war ana
showed himself a master of retreat.
In any case, If the worst happened
20 Reval. il would be long way 20
Petrograd. The Russians arc ready for
stupendous struggle on that line.
Like the Allies. everywhere they are
inspired and instructed by the innu-
merable lessons Of Nerdun.
But have only dealt with one aspect
Of the question. The Cars Chief OF
STAFF. General Alcxeief has been cred
tied with a strategy which embraces
all the contingencies of thrust and
counter thrust along the whole front
between the Baltic and the Black Sea:
General Brussilof. who has succeeded
the veteran Ivanhof in chief command
in the south, is, OF course. marked out
for a role OF particular significance.
Unless the Russians on the Dnlestcr
can be shattered, it seems certain that
Rumania will intervene against the
Central Empires. Altogether the rival
armies will number more than four
million men, and the grapple is bound
TO be bloody and murderous beyond OK
preston.
Russia Nerved TO Sacrifice.
have set out the elements OF the
situation cody and dispassionatcl y
that the temper of Russia may he bet ,
ter measured NJ language can de-
scribe the Encouragement which T!
brought the triumphs of the Gallclan
campaign TO nought.
II may now be stated, for the greater
glory Of Russia, that there was
period last autumn when on their /
RnOlc front inc oLdl '"N
than eight hundred thousand rifles
The number they have now need not
be guessed at. 1t is large.
Between the Russians and their enc
mics there is ont profound difference.
For three months, up to July, the Cars
armies can we'll afford to initiate Gen
eral Petain's tactics at Nerdun. They
arc in no hurry. They are settling
down more doggedly than eyer for
long war. They are released by good
fortune and nourished by adversely.
After they had forced the CarpathianSs,
at the price of half million casual
ties, they were inclined to an honor
able peace.
Now all that is changed. ~ they
stand the shock of this campaign they
will be twice as strong a year hence,
ready 70 fight on into 1918 rather than
be content with anything less than
permanent settlement.