Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-08

CEMBER 8, 1916
Constanza was the military base Of
the Russian and Rumanian forces. It
occupancy forced the Russo-Rumanian
armies to fall back distance OF
twenty miles across the Danube and a
bridge eleven miles long, one of the
finest bridges in Europe, was blown up
behind them to cut off pursuit.
The rapid advance of the Russo
Rumanian forces into Pennsylvania
| was either due to Austrian unprepar'
edness to meet this menace on an en-
tirely new front, or one of the most
| brilliantly executed strategic moves in
, the war. On this front. Falkenhayn
violated that set rule of strategic war
fare-never divide your forces in the
face Of the enemy. Only twice. has
| this move been successfully accomp-
lished before, Napoleon in Europe and
Lee In our own civil war. This Falk-
enhayn Ndid and succeeded in getting
in the rear Of the Rumanian-Russo
forces and cutting them of from gate.
ways to Rumania.
With an aerial scouting service. this
feat would have been an impossibility
and would have meant defeat for the
divided German forces. Caught be-
tween two forces and their supplies
cut of, the Russo Rumanian armies
commenced retreat from fifty to
eighty miles in exetnt. cutting their
way back through the army between
them and theft own mountain passes,
with huge army battering and ha-
RAISING their rear
Through the passes OF Hartez, Pre-
decl and Alt poured pursuer and pur.
sued, the Russo-Rumanian army COM
ing to a stand in the mountains
twelve miles inside the Rumanian from
tier. The losses in men and stores
was considerable. Among the spoils
were 700 cars of wheat which the Ru-
manian government had sold to the
Germans. These cars were In the yards
at Brasso ION the Austrian frontier)
and fell into the hands of the Ru-
manian army in their advance into
Pennsylvania. They were retaken by
the Austrians when the Russo-Ruman'
ian army fell back.
In single week the Austrian forces
had retaken all the lost territory and
were In possession of the principal
gateway and railway terminals of Ru-
mania. These passes. if they had been
properly fortified, were almost i'm
pregnable and would have cost the
Austrian forces thousands of men to
have forced. with the possibility OF
not forcing them at all.
Two serious plumbers at the very
control of the Danube and the Aus
t,.{or Col TOR niy,1
Rumania, which is shaped like boot
left after the first fighting, the Russo
Rumanian forces in bad position
100000 held Orsova in the toe Of the
boot while large force held the cross
ing of the Danube where the railroad
from ConstanZa crosses it. Here &C.
Cured the third blunder. Three forces
of the central allies advanced along
the railways from Predecl, Fatzec and
Orsova on the west, while Bulgarian
Turkish forces advanced north from
Ruschik and east along the Constanza
railway. Instead Of the Russo-Ruman-
ian forces at Orsova falling back on
Bucharest and forming junction with
the other forces. they held on and al
lowed the Germans to cut the railway
between them and Russia. The Rus
so-Rumanian forces defending the Fat
zec-Predecl lines, INSTEAD of retreating
north, fell back on Bucharest and
were trapped with the others in the
toe of the boot The Russian forces
on the Constanza line retreated north
along the Danube and escaped. 1t is
only a matter Of time and may be an
accomplished fact by this time. before
Bucharest is In German hands, which
leaves Rumania conquered country.
The taking of Rumania will not alter
one way or another. the war situation.
It is only side issue.
Immediately after 9 o'clock on Au-
gust Is, the night of the declaration
of war, several new laws were put
into effect. Restaurants, cafes. the
aters and cinemas were promptly
closed and in five minutes the city of
Bucharest plunged into darkness. In
the same space of time the city went
dry-strict prohibition being possibly
the only benefit derived from the war
(You see say POSSIBILITY No persons
except those with military passes
were allowed on the street after 8
O'Clock at night or before daylight in
the morning. Violation of this rule
was met by imprisonment and fire.
quently with death. according to the
disposition Of the sentries. The same
rule applied to lights inadvertently
flashed from windows of houses.
All aliens, such as English. French
Americans Rnd Russians were forced
to be in possession of a blue police
paper bearing description of self. age,
profession, residence and other details
and were compelled to visit police
headquarters every seven days to
have the paper stamped.
A pink paper signed by the chief
OF police was necessary in order to
leave the city or country This pink
paper must be shown to the railway
ticket agent before buying ticket and
shown to the conductor on the train.