The Washington herald., 1916-12-06
RUSS-RUMANIAN
ARMIES RACE TO
ESCAPE DEATH
Forces Trying to Avoid Gigan-
tic Trap Set by Teuton
Generals.
NET Is DRAWN TIGHTER
Drive Against Rumania illustrates
Allied Blockade of Central.
Powers.

CBy the International News serviee.)
Berlin Cvia sayville). Dec. k-The Teu-
tonic conquest of Rumania has definitely
shattered the British attempt to starve
out Germany. according to the Overseas
News Agency, which, in a statement to-
night pointing to the economic Importance
of the victory in wallachia, says:
The large area of wheat land, rich
stocks Of cattle. and other captured sup
plies, together with the large resources
Of the soil, increases the strength Of the
central powers in such permanent fash
ion that the blocade by the entente, which
in any event had no real chance Of sue
cess, has now been completely frus-
trated."
Petrogrrd Admits Defeat.
Grave admissions by the Petrograd war
office in its account Of the operations in
Rumania. coupled with an Official night
bulletin from Berlin reporting steady
progress in the direction of Ploesci,
thirty miles to the north Of the capital.
were the features of yesterdays news
from the front, where the fate Of the
hard pressed Balkan kingdom is being de-
cided.
Both the Russian and German official
statements indicate strongly that the
question of the hour for Rumania is
no longer whether or when Bucharest
falls but whether the Rumanian armies
and their Russian auxiliaries will be alb g
to eNtrtcate themselves from the Teuton
wise steadily closing in on the capital
and making its capture only question
of time.
"Rumania's attempts to check the en-
emy's advance to Bucharest and Ploesci
were unsuccessful" reads the concession
of the Cars high command.
Breaks Through Barriers.
The ninth army" announces the Ger
man war ofice, broke the resistance of
the Rumanian army and crossed the
Bucharest-Targo Vistea-Pietrosita Rail-
road to the eastward"
These statements mean that Falken-
bayn's army under direct command of
Gen. Krafft von Delmensingen. Is en-
gagged in a headlong dash for PloescL
That vital railway knot point captured.
the Teutons viii have cut on every ave-
nue. of escape for Bucharest's defenders
but one-the railway running to Cerna-
woda'
Cernawoda, however. and its mile long
bridge over the Danube. are in pos
session Of Mackensen's Dobrudja army,
so that this route OF escape. too. heads
toward possible disaster. for Mackensen
may at any moment try to cross the
river.
Race Toward Railroad.
To escape from the Teuton trap, the
Russo-Rumanian Bucharest army must
effect an immediate and swift retreat
along the Bucharest-Cernawoda railway
as far as Stelnica, a distance of eighty
four miles. and, provided Mackensen is
held in the DobrudJa and prevented from
crossing the Danube at Cernawoda dash
northwest to reach the Ploesci-Braila
railroad. ifty-1ve miles away.
Thus. the whole Rumanian campaign
is about to resolve itself into a desperate
race between Teutons and Rumanians to
reach this railway intersection.
II the Rumanians get there first, they
win be able to fee northeastward to
Braila and cross the Russo-RumanIan
frontier.
II the Teutons get there first, King
Ferdinands force. together with their
Russian aiders, will be captured or an
initiated.
The odds are Overwhelmingly in favor
of the invaders. for from PIoesci to the
fateful intersection is only sixty-three
miles. as against a total of l39 miles nee
essarily to be covered by the Russo Ru.
manian forces.