Arizona republican., 1916-01-03
Over Front of Three Hun dIed Miles Confident Russian Force Is Hu'ling Sledgehammer Blows at Opposing Force
Republican A. p. Leased WireI

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 LONDON, Jan. 2.-RUssia's cam paisn in Bessarabia continues to be the most important visible war activ- ity. From the Pripet to the Rumanian frontier, over a front of at least three hundred miles, huge Russian force with a great appearance of confidence is hurlinS sIedsehammer blows at the opposing force which, according to all accounts. total at least one and a half million of men.
 Petrograd still claims considerable successes in the early stages of the campaign and dispatches emphasize the excellent equipment, supplies and munitions that Russia laid up for this purpose
 Some London observers. speculatinS on the meaning of the Bessarabiau move, hail it as one of the most am bilious strategic plans since the be- ginning of hostilities and predict that it will prove a collosal attempt to break the backbone of the Germanic allies whole line across the Balkans Thus one critic says.
 The plan is that Russia and the other allies. moving from different sides, shall meet in the Balkans and gain complete mastery of that benin sula. If they succeed, Turkey will be subdued and the vitals of Austria Hungary menaced."
 The Russians have captured the heights northwest of Czernowitz. Bu- kowina, according to a dispatch to Reuters Telegram company from Pet rosrad. They took S7O prisoners
 So long as Russia keeps up her pres ent activity just north of the Ruman- ian border. the attitude of Rumania will continue to grow in importance. There have been many assertions in the entente capitals that Rumania was about to enter the war on the side of the entente allies but nothing to sup port this has yet been heard from the Rumaniau sources. Meanwhile in the south of the Balkan peninsula the en- tente allies continue their expectant attitude toward a threatened attack although Greece seems mainly occI- pied in making various diplomatic pro tests, having followed mp her polite protest to the entente allies against the arrest of the consuls by an equally polite protest to the central powers against their aeroplane flying across Greek territory in a raid which killed d Greek sheepherder and a few sheep.
 The sinking of the steamship Per sia with the probable death of an American consul officer brings up in the European capitals the familiar queery as to what the United States will do now. Dispatches from English correspondents picture the sinking of the Persia as . particularly lEgraVat- ing case, owing to the fact that the ship was not only hit without warning or opportunity for the passengers to escape, but was also hit in most vital part. so that she sank almost i'm mediately
 For the English cabinet, Wednesday will be a red letter day for on that day Premier Asquith will introduce com pulsion. and the premier probably nev- CT has had d. more difficult task than he will have in engineering this measure and his speech in presenting to the parliament is expected to be one of the finest efforts of his career.
 message from Athens to Reuters Telegram company says the French battleship Patrie has sailed from Sa- loniki. having on board the German. Austrian. Turkish and Bulgarian con suls at Saloniki, who were arrested last week at the order of General Sar- rail, the French commander
 The protest made by Greece to the entente powers against the arrest dwells on the fact that even the Greek government was not advised in ad vance of the decision to take such a drastic step.
 At cabinet council in Athens on Friday Premier Skouloudis laid be- fore his colleagues the protests made ! collectively by the Austrian, German Turkish and Bulgarian ministers against the arrest of the cousuls. The cabinet discussed at length the recent events at Saloniki and. the correspou- dent says it is apparent the situation has become a delicate one which is seriously occupying the attention oi the Greek government