Grand Forks herald., 1916-11-16
fAlkFNhAYN IS
FORCING Way
TO BUCHAREST
Berlin Confident Rurnania
Will Fall-Progress
Slow, but Sure.
BY CYRIL BROWN.

Berlin, Nov. 16 (via Sayville)-A
slight, but when you know the ter
rain. significant, increase in the tem-
po OF Field Marshal Falkenhayn's Of
fensive, coupled with the seeming
powerlessness Of Russia to prevent
the advance of the troops pouring
through half a dozen wide open pass
es into Rumania. and the success of
the heavy artillery in blasting noun
tain after mountain some 1000 or s.
900 feet high and slowly clearing the
track to the nearby plain for the bulk
Of Falkenhayn's infantry and caval-
ry, has caused the war correspondents
to make preparations for another
journey to that front.
clining to prophesy. as a staff officer
who recently returned from his head
quarters reported to me, is still plug
Eing along through the principal
passes with the steady, relentless
slowness of a steam drill, using main
ly picked veterans of the German
storming formations against the rock
front of the Rumanians which begins
to show signs of crumbling in some
of the heavy German mortar bat
teries.
The driving power Of Falkenhayn's
offensive is being cunningly and baf-
fnsly varied from pass to pass to
keep the Rumanians guessing as to
where the main blow is coming, and
consequently in a state of doubt as
to where to throw their reserves. The
operations in the Transylvania Alps
are in fact mixture Of lightning fast
body blows and feints applied to the
| whole Rumanian front with the clev-
erness of scientific boxer, the Idea
being for the present to send the Ru-
manian defending army reeling back
to the plain and pounding it to grog-
giness for g. final knockout.
| Falkenhayn's progress through the
snoW-coVered mountains has been
particularly noticeable in the last few
thurm Pass, where I am advised that
General Kraft Won Nellmensingen has
gained nearly thirty kilometers since
was with him. pushing ahead to both
sides Of the Alt river into Wallachia,
with the important railroad base Of
Ramsea Valzeat as his immediate OBJ
jective. the easier downhill going en-
abling his Alpine troops to accelerate
their pace.
Synchroneously the German divi-
sions which were making no appreci-
able progress toward the important
railroad centre of Campulung when
was with them have at last succeeded
in breaking down the stubborn Ru-
manian resistance. and are now hold
ing the heights dominating Campu-
lung while gaining further valuable
ground to the north, their creeping
offensive being directed toward tho
important railroad junction Pitesci in
the hope Of cutting off one of the
main strategic rail connections with
Bucharest, the operations north Of
Campulung and beyond the Rothen-
thurm pass being closely connected.
Nor have the Rumanians, though
fghtinE desperately and more success
fully than at the start of the offensive,
been able to stop Falkenhayn's ool-
umns pouring through the Predeal
and Altschanz passes south Of Kron.
stadt. the German storming forma-
tions still continuing to gain ground
at both points of attack with the inn
portant railroad functions of Ploesci
and Buzeu as their penultimate goal
In view Of Falkenhayn's continued
progress, particular importance at
taches to recent happenings on the
Russian front, where Generals Won
Bothmer, Linsingen and Woyrsch
have served notice on the Russians on
the Narayuvka, Stocked, and at Bar
anovitchi that they are on the watch
for any withdrawal Of Russian troops
to the hardpressed Rumanian 'front.'
while the mystery in which Macken-
sen has shrouded himself in arousing
the liveliest expectations. Major
Moraht in the Tageblatt says: I'm the
offensive spirit that has always and
everywhere animated Mackensen's 8
army We may further have conf
dence."