Evening star., 1916-06-11
Even Europe Has Been Made
to Gasp by Audacious
Effort.
ENEMY is SWEPT BACK
ON 1OO-MILE FRONT
Entire Group Of Austrian Armies
Are Declared to Be in 1mmi-
nent Peril.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

the great Russian armies operating III
the eastern battle arena, where. sud
denly hurting the weight OF their great
numbers on the Austrians from the
Pripet marshes to the Rumanian Dor
der. they have been able to throw their
antagonists back as far as thirty-seven
miles at some points over nearly
bundred-mile front within a period OF
less than seven days.
No like gain has been registered by
any beliigerent army or group OF
armies in such a short period since
Europe plunged into the present strug-
gle.
In addition to the vast amount of
important territory wrested from them
the Teutonic forces have lost In the
neishborhood of 10000 men, which have
been taken prisoner. Total austrian
casualties. including dead and wound
ed, are placed at nearly 100000 men.
And as a climax to this information
comes the announcement that the en-
tire group of Austrian armies which
have been so steadfastly defending Ca
licia, Volyhania and Bukowina are in
immediate danger of rout and disor-
ganization Continued withdrawal
from the regions which were won at
such tremendous cost of life and muni-
tions is at least expected. even should
these armies be able to avoid further
staggering losses before the advancing
enemy.
Through this sudden effective blow
the Russians have been able to render
yeoman service to
p.uder Veoman their allies.
France and Italy.
Service to Allies. It is not to be ex-
pected that the Austrians will be able
to continue an offensive Of sweeping
character against the armies Of King
Victor Emmanuel while continued Rus
sian success and penetration Of Austria
which IL continued might endanger
Vienna itself-necessarily would mean
the withdrawal Of large Austrian and
to combat the onrushing hosts Of the
car. In fact. should the Slavs develop
their successes on still further enor-
nous scale, as they appear to have good
chance of doing. the German pressure
against the allied lines all along the
whole western front might be relieved.
for should the Austrian situation be-
come truly critical, the Germans In all
probability would be forced to act as
they have done at previous moments
during the present strugGle-dispatch
large forces to the northern section of
the eastern battle front in order to re-
lieve the pressure against the Austrians
to the. southwark = =
Thus II may be seen that the Russian
effort may not only entirely defeat
Austrian aspirations along the Tyro-
lean front. but also cause a cessation
of major German offensive activities in
the west. Such events easily are with
In the bounds of possibility.
Although the present Russian effort
appears to be co-ordinated movement,
ext n ding
Where Russians nearly three
Are Driving Hardest. m,,.s ,ss
chief offensive efforts apparently are
directed at the Austrian positions In
the region Of Lutsk. in which region a
wedge may be driven between the Aus
trians and Germans and against Buc-
xaz. which Is regarded the key to
Czernowitz. the capital of Bukowina.
I.utsk. one of the three strategical
being Dubno and Rovno-already is
in Russian hands. while many strongly
fortified positions defending Buczaz
and the Bukowina regions have been
ent great engagement Dubno. which
is considered an important position
from the Austrian standpoint. is still
held by them, but the evacuation of
this point is considered imminent In view
of the Russian successes to the south
and to the north. The Austrian posi-
tion at Dubno 10 much the same as
that OF the French at Verdun, and con-
slams eventually will force the evacu-
alton of this point IL IL has not al
ready capituiated. the Austrians draw
ing their lines back to better strategi-
cal positions. In discussing the fall
Of Lutsk and its possible effect on fu-
ture military operations In this region
a recent dispatch clearly sets forth the
situation as follows:
Lutsk. situated thirty-hve miles from
the Galtcian border. is a modern strong
hold erected within recent years to ward
of possible Austrian aggression. II is
the eastern angle of the Volhynian for
tress. the two others. Dubno. the apex.
situated thirty miles to the southeast
still In Teuton hands. and Rovno thirty
miles to the east. having been built for
its support. When the German and Aus
tro-Hungarian armies last autumn
compelled the Russians to retire on the
whole 5o0-mile front. Lutsk was one of
the most bitterly contested points on
the southern part of the line 1t chang
ed. hands three times. falling last into
Teuton hands on October /.
The fortress lies half way between
Hoyno and KoyeI, the important
railway line that runs from Brest-
J.itovsk to the region southwest OF
kief. IL is this railway sector be-
tween Rovno and kovel, that has been
the objective of the Russian attacks
ever since the Teuton offensive came
to standstill eight months ago, for it's
control would give the Russians a free
hand to operate southwark against the
lines in Galicis.
Without holding Lutsk the Aus
TRANS will have a hard task maintain
ing themselves In the smaller volhy-
nian fortress to the southeast Dubno.
and once Dubno has fallen the road IL
open to the cars forces for another
invasion of western Galicia. Such an in
vasfon. IL accompanied by simultaneous
attacks against the BuRowina lines.
would present u formidable menace TO
the whole southernmost Austro- Hun
garian front. as IL would threaten IL
with being cut OF or driven to the
north into the hands of the army In
vading Galicia.
The town and district of Lutsk are
OF little commercial Importance. Lutsk
was at one time a thriving center with
q population of about 10000. but since
the Polish wars in the last half OF the
sixteenth century 1t has steadily de-
ciined."
While the Russian successes. sweep.
Ing as they are. have caused the great
est gratin.
Will Offensive cation in the
E1~~x. n CAptIaiS Ol