Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-07-13
HaIicz


The announcement OF the capture
Of Halicz by the Russians has natur-
ally given rise TO a very general i'm
preston that the Austro.German DO
sition in LENDERS is fatally threat
ened, and that by the occupation of
Halicz the Russians have in fact won
a victory which will mean the ulti-
mate evacuation Of the Galician cant.
tai by the Austro-Germans. Thus we
hear Of Halicz constantly as the kew
n Lemberg, as a railroad centre of
Importance and as a town Of consid-
cradle military strength.
In point Of fact, Halicz IS not the
key of Lemberg; # Is not directly
on any railroad and It consisted
before August, 1914, Of a single street
or staggering houses built in a plain
on the opposite side of the Dniester
River from the Lemberg- stanislau
Railroad. which crosses the river a
few miles lower down at the town OF
Jezupol, taken by the Russians a day
OF two ago.
Far more important are the latest
bulletins announcing the crossing Of
the Lomnica River TO the west. II
this advance is made good II IS the
gravest possible menace to Lemberg.
Similar bulletins announcing the pass
ing OF the Dniester at Halicz accen-
tuate the danger
The general conviction on the sub.
ject Of Halicz arises from the fact
that in 1914. when Brusiloff made his
successful advance on Lemberg. the
break in the Austrian line took place
at an obscure town not many miles
from hllicz. and that Halicz. falling
Immediately afterward as a result of
the break, was associated with the
collapse and came TO have IN the
minds Of military observers an i'm
oortance which did not belong to Il
IN 1914 the Austrian army was
standing in front Of Lemberg behind
the emilia Iipa River thirty odd miles
from the city. This was the last de-
fence Of the city, which. despite cur
rent dispatches, is not fortress, but
an open town. tt was a position of
strength behind the little river, which
flows south and served as an actual
moat for the carefully fortified Aus.
TRAN line. But the Austrian numbers
and artillery we're insufficient for tho
ask of holding this line. Brusilof
emilia Lipa River enters the Dneister
crossed the river and thus turned
the flank of the Austrains. who wer,
compelled 70 retreat and fall bacl
westward Of Lemberg to the Grodel
line.
Today the situation is quite differ
ent. The Austrian-G German army Il
not standing behind the Gnila-Lip'
line. but behind the Zlota Lipa. which
flows parallel TO the Gnila Lipa I
dozen miles or more TO the eastward
It's extreme flank only rests upon the
Gnila Lipa River opposite Haiicz an,
on the north side OF the Dniestei
River. This army has not beer
shaken, and so far as we know "a no
yet in retreat What has happened
is that another Austrian army. pro
longing the front OF the first iron
the Dneistsr TO the Carpathians. hal
been defeated and driven westward.
A. is falling back TO the Lomnici
River, and the result OF its retreat Il
the evacuation OF Halicz. The pos
session of halicz will only affect tn
Austrian position north OF the Dneis
Ter when the Russians have mad
.-l1d the crossing OF the river re
ported last night. On the other han
the Austrains are not able TO rail-
the Lomnica River and stop IN
'ussians. then the Russians will b
able TO advace up the valley of III
Dniester. which here flows fror
nOrthward to southeast. And this al
vance would be in the rear OF IN
Austrian army north OF the Dniestel
We are at one of the interestin
crises which come in an offensive
Last year Brusilof broke the Aus
trian lines near Lutsk at the SINAI
town Of Olyka He broke them on