The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-30
V0N MACKENSEN NOW
PLANS TO ROLL Up
WHOLE SLAVIC LINE
Launches Attack North of Transyl-
vanian Alps Headed Directly
Toward Odessa.
MAXIMUM FOOD PRICES
PROVING FLAT FAILURE
German Food Dictator Declares Sys-
tenn Adopted BY Him Has Proven
Faimre-Asks Adoption of Super
wishing Board.

The momentum of the Rumanian
drive has suddenly switched far to
the north of the scene of the great
five day break through" battle. With
the elimination of that battle, con-
.sistiag in the capture of the big rail-
head Rimnicu Sarat. the period OF
strategic 'feelers'' was terminated,
and in the last thirty-six hours Mack
ensen. prompted by the swift success
sion of events furthering his plans,
showed his hand
From the mountainous region
around the town of Sosmezo. just
above the northermost tip of the
Transylvanian Alps, there was set
into motion early yesterday an evil
IDENTIFY powerful force of Teuton IN
fantry under General Gerok. AS if
only the Field Marshars ''Vor
waerts" had been needed this column
pushed promptly forward, driving due
east. for In the distance, 2o3 miles al
most due east lies Odessa, captur-
ing heights after heights and driving
the surprised Russians further and
further against the middle Sereth.
Fourteen hundred Russians fell as
prisoners into Gerok's hand in the
initial onrush of his army and
eighteen machine guns and three
cannon were captured
To those who have come to read
between the lines in this war the
conclusion is inescapable upon a
glace at the map, that this means
mere we VIII strike our main blow"
Gcrok's Big job.
To General Gerok evidently has fall
len the main part to roll up the en-
tire Russian southern wing, to clear
southern Galicia, the Bukowia. the
Carpathians and Pennsylvania Of
Muscovites and to make possible abe
piercing of the Sereth line and the
subsequent drive at Odessa.
From Rimnicu- Sarat Falkenhavn' s
troops, constituting the now famous
Ninth Army, are Fastening at top
speed northward to reinforce Gerok,
should the Russians stop him. as they
Will undoubtedly try their might and
main to do. Already Bavarian and
Hungarian troops on the left wing
OF the Ninth Army have pushed thir-
teen and half miles beyond Rim
nicu-Sarat to Dumitresci, some forty
nine miles from where Gerok Is driv-
ing eastwards.
With their oft-tested pincer tactics
the Teutons are endeavoring to close
In on Focescamni. vital fortified
port north Of Rimnicu-Sarat, and thus
TeiueT the WnOie IOrt1ned line OF
Focescamni-Galitin untenable. Sue.
cess of this plan would not only mean
the crumbling of the Russian Sereth
line. but would smash a wide gap in
the whole southern front OF the
Czar's forces. spelling disaster COM
parable to the catastrophe after
Mackensen's break through at the
Dunajec in 1915"
Failure, on the other hand. would
be an abandonment Of the entire
campaign against Moldavia and Bess-
arabia and would throw the Teutons
upon the defensive.
In the meantime Mackensen 8
Danube army Is driving northeast
wards and has reached Boldu, ten
and one-half miles from Rimnicu-
Sarat. The Dobrudja army has cap
tured Rathcholu. northwest OF Isacce,
in the loop Of the Danube.
On the whole. the Russians have
been able to stem the invaders tide
from the south. according to the Rus
sian war Office.