Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-18
Significance Of Recent Teu'
tonic Casualties on Eastern
Front Is Emphasized.
SUCCESS OF THE SlAVS
is GREATEST IN HISTORY
Precipitate Retreat of Austrians
Continues in Some Sections.
Firm Resistance at Others.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.
Sweeping forward with the speed Of
a prairie fire whipped and famed by a
mighty gale. the great Russian armies
are continuing their almost dazzling
successes against the fleeing Austrian
forces in Bukowina, Volhynia and Ga
licia. The Teutonic retreat is precipf-
tate-the hastiest of the war-and as in
the case of all such actions by large
mobile forces. Slavic captures have
been huge Already the Austrian and
German casualties in the fighting
which is going on over front of 700
miles from Riga southwark to points
1mmediately below Czernowitz. the cap
ital of Bukowina. are said to be 800. 900.
1t being officially reported from Petro-
grad that nearly 100000 of these are
in the form of captures. great droves
of Austrian and German prisoners NOV
ing to the concentration camps to the
rear of the advancing Russian lines
These figures are staggering in their
proportions. Their INSTALLATION is al
most impossible-almost beyond belief
when it is considered that these cas-
ualtleS nave Deen 1nnlCIeQ curing a
period of fourteen days Of Russian eff
fort.
Had every man. woman and child I'm
the District Of Columbia above the aGe
Of twelve years been drilled up to the
highest efficiency and seasoned 10 the
riEOrs of long warfare as are the Aus
trinn armies, had they been equipped
which never has been dreamed Of for
the defense Of the National Capital,
were they to have had countless ma
chine gun detachments, cavalry forces
~ efficient as any in the worlds had
they fortified themselves in lines and
Hines of concrete trenches; had they un-
told Quantities Of munitions and every
ether feature necessary to military
achievement and had they been facing
the Russian armies in their present sen.
sntional drive. these people Of the Dis
triet Of Columbia today would either be
lying dead in countless Thousands.
wosld be Eroaning ON battleAelds,
manned or mortality wounded. or would
be held prisoner by the enemy, their
usefulness in the conflict at an end
au wrought i'm = period Of fourteen
days.
Thus in a small way may come reali-
eation Of the frightful Austrian losses
and the effectiveness of Russian effort
The drive Of the Slav hosts under the
Immediate direction of Gems. Brusiloff
and Letchit-
Drive Most Striking sky continues
in Military History. striking in
military history.
The Russians have achieved in
large measure what they originally set
out to achieve-the lessening of Aus
trian pressure on the Italians and a
1essening Of Teutonic effort on the
western front. even though the battle Of
Nerdun still continues. But while these
two immediate purposes have been
brought to pass. the Russians bid fair
TO strike at the very vitals of Austria
and Hungary. there being every evil
dence that the present drive in Buko-
wilma and Galicia, as well as Volhynia
will be continued until the fullest pos
sible military success has been
achieved.
The Russians daily are menacing to
. greater extent the Austrian armies
operating along the southern end Of the
eastern front. Their drive in the direc-
ton of Kovel. from two different direc-
tions. forces wedge between the Aus
trtan and German lines which brings
Immediate danger to the Austrian
army's flank. This operation, primarily
was intended not only to separate the
Teutonic allies. but bring about the
communication along practically the
whole Teutonic eastern front. is of vital
character to successful Teutonic oper-
atiohs In the immediate future.
Another great wedge has been driven
into the enemy lines by the Russians
farther south
Austrians Routed in Bukowina.
in Bukowina Region. Ar. said to
have occupied Czernowitz. the capital of
Bukowina. The drive in this direction
has been of determined character. and
the Austrians have been practically
routed.
In the region of Buczacz. Kozlov, Tar
.uopol and near Vorobievka the Aus
trtans. after the first surprise advance
or the Russians. have recovered and are
making strenuous resistance. In fact
the Russians have been driven back sew
tsral times under the vicious counu-
ter onsiaughts of enemy armies.
which now are said to consist of
both Germans and Austrians, but
H. the main. the Russians have been
able to register considerable advance in
these sections. The fighting. even Pc
trograd admits. has been of ferocious
character. going on night and day. The
Immediate purpose of the Austrians
and Germans is said to be the frustra-
rtion Of Russian advances to points of
communication. which would almost
bring. Lernberg into their possession
That the Teutons apparently are not
Optimistic as to the future OF Lemberg
81 indicated by reports that already the
civil population 10 evacuating the city.
There have been many reports during
the week as to Just what assistance
the Germans are rendering to their
Austrian fellows I'm arms. AS was to
be expected. Field Marshal Won Hinden-
berg has brought stif pressure against
the Russian line in the region of
Barsnovichi. Jacobstadt and Kochary
In the Riga and Dvinsk sectiSss, IN
ar cttempt 20 trick the enemy into be-
Uecing determined offensive was I'M
de- way. Successes have been regis
tered .. these points. Berlin claims
but that they are OF but temporary
character and are not intended to be
a part OF n sustained effort is indicated
by Berlin, later advices reporting a
practical cessation OF Germanic effort
IN these regions. Such fighting as
there has been. however, was of vio-
tent character. The chief effort of the
Germans to aid their at presen. strick
en- cohorts seems to be the lengthening
or the lines of Gen. Won Bethmer over
I2o miles II is said he Is backing up