Evening journal., 1916-07-29
THE RUSSIAN ARMY
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
United Press Staff Correspondent

PETROGRAD. July 1.-(By MaiD
THE Russian army is twice as big
as it was when the war started. is
better fed, better equipped and mu-
nitioned. Militarily, we are able to
carry our part of the load"
II was the President of the Duma.
Mikbsil Rodzianko. who told me this,
= leader known to Russia as a frank,
outspoken man. This man knows
something about armies. He began
nfe as an officer from a military
academy. He is actively engaged on
army problems now.
Duma member Sergius Shidlovsky.
leader of the Progressive Bloc. con
trolling element of the assembly.
gave the same answer. adding:
The army is better than II has
ever been. It's spirit is perfect In
the country the people are too busy
to be pessimistic. Townspeople love
to tell alarming tales which grow. At
the front with the soldiers il is as
another world Everybody is cheer
full. To some neutrals, the Russian
army has been disappointment.
judging it by German standards of
perfection Judged otherwise. the
Russians have accomplished heroi-
things.
Russia stretches twice as far from
east TO west as the United States. She
IS as wide as from New York TO Sar
Francisco. Her population is thinly
distributed over this tremendous area
40 times that of Gormany-rail-
ways are few and, for a campaign
against Germany 'nconveniently laid
When war began, the Russian army
was undergoing complete reorganiza-
tion Mobilization caught It at the
worst moment The new untried
mobilization scheme was stopped and
the old one resorted to-.
Russia is so per cent. peasant and
reserves cannot be notified as quickly
as in Germany Once notified. many
must walk great distances tc
the nearest settlement. From her,
the first small group walks or ride.
10 a village on a railway, and from
here to city. TO be equipped anC
despatched to the army. Il is n slow
process. hard to improve upon unit
Russia has better transportation anC
communication
Quick-mcb'lizing countries mobiliz,
on the frontier. Russia. unable T.
throw millions Of men on the enemy
boundary line in time. concentrate,
In the interior. She cannot hope L
begin war on the offensive. but ex
poets TO commence hostilities in
clash inside her own territory agains
invaders
Russia then performed a heroi
thing when she threw herself acros
the border into eastern Prussia fv
days after the war began, unpreparer
by at least month, though she knew
herself to be-
The world knows the disaster u
the Russians among the Bazuria,
marshes Of Rennenkampf's defeat a
Osterode late i'm August. after he ha
thrown Won Hindenburg back fror
1nsterburg, Konigsberg, Allenstei
and Gumbinnen This was Russia
first sacrifice
i Is only $50 miles from the near
est point on the Russian frontier t
Berlin. Looking at the map. side
walk strategists opined that Russi
ought to make the distance in 80 dayi
But even had Russia. modified
struck via short line, she would hav
reached Berlin only 10 receive 2 moI
tai blow from north end south cuttin
off and booming her invading army
Poth Eastern Prussia and Galicia ha
70 be occupied before the Posen rout
TO Berlin could even be attempted.
So Galicia was invaded Tarnopc
was stormed and occupied. Lember
and Przemysl taken bv the forces IN
der General Russk. who mastere
the country clear to the crests Of III
-arpathians
Then time, distance lack Of raj
way facilities. bad roads and othC
physical hindrances outdid him-ther
end greatly reinforced Austria
armies framed with Germans and le
IN part by German officers. The Ru
sian retreat from Galicia was the r.
suit
Blocked on the Western front /
the French and British. unable to az
vance an inch there. the German
perfected their trenches barbed-wir,
entang ents-and-machine-g gun sy
tenn from the Channel TO Switzerlan
then threw her remaining strength &
Poland LODI was captured, PloC
AIKEN and one by one. quickly q
historic cities and fortresses Of a
Poland. including Warsaw. the cap
tai. fell
II IS sad Germany aimed to cru'
Russia and make separate peace a
ter Warsaw But Russia was n
crushed She knows defensive fgh
ing too we'll She lost much but h
army is stronger now than ever.
high French official sad to me:
Russia is unbeatable. She is L
dig She can keep on retreating u
iii at last the enemy will be swallo'
ed up"
In the retreat from Poland Il
army had much 70 contend with.
was badly munitioned The Minist