Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-20
$4,000 TEUTONS
.CORNERED; SLAV
GRIP TIGHTENS
Russian Left Wing Vigor-
ously Pursues Gen.
Pfanger's Army
no BATTLE ON sERETH
.Austro-German Counter-Attacks
n volhynia and Galicia Quick
ly Overwhelmed
pErRoGRAD, June 20.


o,,acks against the German and
I,s,ro-Hungarian forces In Nolhynla and
no,icia are growing in vigor, and the feeble
S6orts of the Teutons to stem the Russian
Isvo,ce with counter-assaults are quickly
overwhelmed
Eighty thousand Austrian troops, retreat
,.o from the region Of Czernowitz, have
Aosn cornered in Bukowina by the lightning
drve of the Russian left wing,
The Russians are pressing the pursuit
9TH the utmost vigor. A large part Of the
Austrian force in all probability will be
cnt off and surrounded. The others face
the alternative Of retreating through the
rarpathan passes, abandoning their guns,
or crossing into Rumania.
The Russian army of General Lechnltslsy.
which captured Czernowitz by storm, all
ready has advanced ten miles west of the
oity toward the Sereth River. The Austro-
Hungarians who evacuated the Bukowinan
capital are preparing to make stand on
the Sereth.
Another Russian force. which advanced in
a northwesterly direction along the Pruth,
Is already within striking distance Of
Kolomea, an important Austro- Hungarian
position 90 miles northwest OF Czernowitz
It is believed that the Austro-H Hungarian
works at Kolomea are already under artll-
lery fire.
In vohynia, where fresh battles have
developed the Austro dIungarians were
forced from their position at Lokatshi. south
Of the Luga River and only IS miles east
OF the important railway base of Vladimir
volyniski.
Artillery duels of great intensity are re-
ported from the northern end of the line.
where the Russians are facing the. German
army Of Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
Much Of the recent success of the Rus
SLAMS is attributed to the use of poisonous
gases, which are the most powerful known
to warfare. The gas masks of the Ger
mans and Austro- -Hungarlans were Totally
unable to ward off it's effects.
AUSTRIAN DEFENSE sTIFFENs.
Virtually the whole Russian front north
OF Czernowitz is steadily pressing in upon
Lemberg. Prisoners declare that measures
already have been taken for the evacuation
Of the Galcian capital. Russian troops
pressing down upon Brody in the advance
upon Lemberg may already have crossed
the GalIcan frontier.
II is admitted that the Austrian defense
Is becoming more stubborn. East of Brody
and on wide front directly east of Lem
berg the Austrians are Counter-attacking
with great spirit, using flame electors and
large quantities of shells. They have been
unable thus far to stem the Russian ad-
vance. Both on the Brody front and fur
ther south Austrian prisoners have been
captured who admit they were rushed into
action few days ago from the Italian
front.
That the Russian offensive not only ar
rested the Austrian drive southwark into
Italy, but frustrated an ambitious scheme
VI the Austro-German general staffs for the
conquest of southern Russia, was indicated
BY Bucharest dispatches today. These re-
ports said It had been learned from German
sources that an Austro-GerInan thrust
across southern Russia to the Black Sea
was to follow the Austrian offensive in
! Italy. the plan being to cut Russia off
entirely from the Balkan States. If this
report is true, the Russian strategists out
wItted the enemy.
The latest reports indicate that from
half to two-thirds of the Austrians facing
the Russians when the offensive began were
killed, wounded or made prisoners early in
hs lighting. The others were so badly dis
organized that the Russians pushed for
ward with the greatest rapidity. Only the
Rrrival Of fresh bodies of Austrian troops
checked the momentum of General Bru-
siloft's rush
The military experts though not attempt
Ing to minimize the Importance of the pres
ent Russian operations, advise the public
70 restrain its enthusiasm for bigger events
expected very soon.