Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-05

esting If unimportant position in the
warfare at Pinsk.
Each time that a frosty night stiff.
fens M the swamp a hit. both Rus.
sian and German sentries make for
the piles in an effort TO carry off
Ia little hay on the one hand, and "a
take pot shots at each other on the
other hand The Russians thus far
have the best of it SO far as the hay
is concerned, for the piles are nearer
them, but the Germans claim the rec
ord for patrols wiped out or dispersed
one of the lines Of defense lies
in Pinsk itself. one street is one lone
trench ready for instant occupancy
and the houses that line the streets
are barricaded with sand bags and
earthwork. The street, as well as the
entire town, is constantly patrolled,
and ii would be only a matter of min
utes in case of an attack before the
whole section would swarm with men.
Though the methods of defense to
the south and north of Pinsk, and the
city itself, vary considerably, the ma
'iiAft sun pays an litlHVl NbAil INl 1
everywhere Every supporting point
in the long chain both in the dunes
and in the swamps. has at least one
of these deadly weapons. And so close
together are. the supporting points
that the whole section may be said
to consist of machine gunfront."
Artillery plays probably less i'm
portant part in the Pinsk section than
anywhere else along the other front.
The Russian guns thus far have never
been able to reach Pinsk and do any
damage. All shells fired thus far
have fallen short. The Germans ON
the other hand need their artillery
only for defensive purposes since 1t
is only a waste Of ammunition to try
to destroy Russian positions across
the swamp when no follow-up attack
with infantry is possible. 1t Is only
once in a while. therefore, that the
roar of guns is heard. Oftener IT
is the nervous clatter Of machine guns
firing at Russian scouting patrol
Spectacular Defense.
The German defense incorporates
one feature that is as beautiful and
spectacular as il is useful--the flam-
ing rockets and searehlights that are
used on dark nights to illuminate the
swamps in search of approaching
forces. 1t is worth the trip from Ber-
lin to see the vast dark area sud
denly transformed into blaze Of
lights as rockets mount from all Of
the blockhouses in the rough semi
circle, while powerful lights sweep
every inch Of ground for miles around
Pinsk itself is sGualid TO a degree
absolutely unknown in America, or in
any of the western European states
With the exception Of few buildings
along the Pima waterfront, its struct-
ures are all one story in height and
of old, tumbledown wooden construc-
ton Its business has from time inn
memorial been confined practically To
the timber which floats. down to it
on the Pima, the Strumen and the
Jassjolda rivers.
In spring and early summer the
water rises and mandates part of the
town. Just how serious the spring
and summer of 1916 is going to be
for the German troops is a question
that is giving those in command some
worry.
Towering above the dirty. one story
shacks stand three enormous and inn
posing churches--a Russian cathedral,
a Catholic edifice, and a synagogue.
OF the sixty thousand human beings
found in Pinsk when the Germans
moved in, fifteen thousand were mis-
cradle refugees from farther west
Poles and Jews who had been driven
from their homes ahead of the re-
treating Russian armies and then
abandoned to the care Of the Germans
when food became scarce.
This horde presented a problem that
has only partially been solved by
sending back westward some thou
sands of refugees part to their old
homes and part TO abandoned farms
which they can cultivate and utilize
for the time being, and by doing so
help to solve the food problem in
Poland and Russia.