The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-22
Wallachian Plain VIII Yield
Teutons Rich Returns In
Wheat and Petroleum
RUMANIAN SITUATION
EXTREMELY CRITICAL
Armies Cut Off Have No Re-
course Save to Fight Over.
whelming Odds or Surrender
Heart Of Rumania Taken

London. No.. ?1--Craiova, vital nerve
II the strategic railway net Of West
crn Rumania, fall TO the army of Cen
cral Won Falkeuhayn az noon today.
It's loss is the most serious blow suf-
fered by King Ferdinand 6 army since
Rumanias intervention on the allies
eide
IN the grip ~ wise OF steel whose
only existence leads into impossible
.wamps deep thrust out into the
wallachian plain whose products feed
It's people. the most fertile Of the Bal
kan kingdoms today. seams tace 70
face With certain doom.
Al c.aiova the T4utons stand 725
miles due west OF Bucharest. In con-
troll OF four OF the most important rails
OF communication. their headlong ad-
vance toward the heart % the kingdom
continues sp-tfter than ever. That ad-
vance holds menace OF striking the
greatest strateg!oal blow Of the var.
II threatens tire hulk OF the Ruma man
army still battling south OF the Tran
sylvanian Alps and particularly The
forces around Orsoya near the IRON
Gate e!th being co-aple tely cat of
fron. all avenues O: escGpe
Fight Great Dad. or Surrender.
For these sorel,' shattered forces a
last desperate stand m al open battle
aesins, overwhelming odds in NUM-
hers Of n sn and guas--or surrender
is the only Alternative un!ess q miracle
happens
Tae whole lighting In NorthwesreTn
-7unlaaia. as the result Of tho Tenton
dasA into wallaeh!a has assumed the
character OF a race tor the ra!lwa yA
In the jul and Matru Valleys the
Teutons won the race Then thay
reached their main goal. Craiova On
!nous indications thar the feat is about
to be repeated further TO the North
east is contained IN todaYs Russian
war Office statement admitting that
under pressurs Of the enemy, Rurnsn-
ian troops are retiring slowly south
yard IN the All valley
Moreover this Petrograd bulletin Is
oetat-d one for II. another paragraph
Il placed the retreating Humaa!ans N
The region Of Fill!ash That point IS
forty miles northwes. from CraioNa
\ fe~ hours after receipt OF the RUS
san statement 2Arltr-c&+G lis-aE-
bounced Craiova's fall
severe Struggle" Noted,
On the Alt River" said tire German
war office IN an earlier official report
from Berlin. some important towns
and .ntrenched heights were captured
by US from the RuuanIans in severe
struggles Through each OF the
Iransylvanlaa passes Teuton troops
are being poured. some In pursuit of
the retreating RuaaAaians. others N
sweeping Ranking movements against
those OF King Ferdinand forces who
are still graphing for ever inch Of
ground IN vain hopes 20 turn the tide
Of battle.
with Cra.ova captured the complete
ovsrrunning Q. wallachia. the south
Tes.srn part OF Rumanta is partly
accomplished. The fate OF Rumanis is
being decided In a series OF huge bat
ties whose scene is one OF the most
fertile regions Of Europe,
Petroleum Resources Taken.
One hundred million brshels Of
wheat and 1eo 900. 900 bushels OF maize
are produced yearly by the fields now
overrun by the Teuton steamrolIer.
Nearly $4,000, 900 worth OF cereals
are exported annually from the yield
Of the WAllachian Plain. now for tho
most part in Teuton hands Inesti-
nable resources Of petroleum. sorely
needed by the centra! powers, are
among Its natural wealth--the wealth
for which up to four months ago the
central empires courted Rumanian
neutrality. Sheep. horses and swine in
untold numbers also are among wal
iachians resources
Todays reports show that Won Fal-
kenhayn advanced seventy-hve miles
in FIVE days. making fifteen miles 4
day At the same rate he would reach
Bucharest within eight days. Military
critics point out. however. that the
Teuton march, now thar the lowland OF
wallacha.n and the Craiova- Buchares st
rails IL at their disposal. Falkenhayn's
forces may be expected at the capital
by the end of the week