Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-19

q
allied statesmen. during the past week
have telegranhed their confidence in
Russian ab,.fy to emerge from the
present critical period. stronger in pur-
pose and more united for the battles of
democracy. In reply Premier Kerensky
has reiterated this belief.
From a military standpoint all is
well with the entente forces on the
western front,
ALI Well in West where the
for Entente Armies. Gen. Hafg
and Gen. Petain continue to viciously
hammer German lines in Flanders. The
French and British are working IN
close unison and slowly but surely an
immense salient is being pushed into
German positions to the north and east
Of Ypres.
The attacks delivered against Ger
man positions during the week just
closed have been of intense character.
The British have extended their gains
along the Weshoek ridge, where the
Germans have been pushed back over
the Steenbeke river. The Canadian
forces in an attack to the northwest of
Lens captured famous Hill 20 and ex-
tended gains in the direction of Loos
on front of almost two miles to
depth of half mile. The French armies
DaItliflS IN the vicinity Oh OlAHiuuc dISO
extended their gains. On the Aisne
front in the vicinity of Allies the
French captured line of German
trenches, while in the region OF Rheims
Teutonic positions were entered
Mere statement of actual results is
extremely prosaic in character. Mere
words cannot Indicate the intensity of
the battles which have been raging for
the past week at many points along the
western front. The conflict in Flanders
has gone on day and night, the artil-
lery actions alone being declared the
fiercest of the war. Hand-to-hand
fighting has been the order of the hour
Everywhere. No mercy is being shown
to the enemy by either side. The Ger
mans realize the disaster which would
result If the entente should manage to
press the German Flanders lines back
ward and seize the submarine bases on
thoroughly impressed with their duty
to reach this objective. The fighting
will continue with unprecedented fury.
AS has been noted in recent weeks,
the fact is significant that German
armies, Notwithstanding their well
prepared and powerful attacks, still are
unable to change the positions of the
allies to any material extent Attack
after attack has been repulsed. The
Germans have left thousands of dead
on the bloodstained fields Of Flanders.
Before Lens alone the Canadians COM
pletely riddled one German division
tempt to regain Hill 20, which domi-
mates the region to the northwest of
Lens.
Should the Germans press the allies
back to their positions held before the
present series of Offensives began in
Flanders victory would be with the al
lies, for any gains achieved by the Ger
mans could never compensate them
for the casualties which they have suf-
fered.
X X
One of the most hopeful signs from
an allied viewpoint is the ra increasing s,snas
Russ Resistance bel Ing Of
Increasingly Strong. The Rus
sian armies in Galicia, Bukowina and
in Rumania, where the armies of the
kaiser have been unable to score gen
eral advances for a period of ten days.
Here and there the Russians and Ru-
a mile or so under the heavy assaults
of Teutonic forces. but generally
speaking the Teutonic efforts in the
past few days have resulted futilely, and
it may be stated that the Russian
army debacle is at an end.
Commander-in-chief Korniloff hopes
that the Russians henceforth will rem
der the aid expected of them in con-
prevails uneasiness as to whether the
present high state of morale existent
among Russian soldiers will continue,
and only time will tell whether the
Slavic armies are able to come back
with sufficient strength to change the
complexion of things on the eastern
front.
The chief fighting of the past week
has occurred in northern western and
southern Moldavia, where Won Macken-
sens forces have repeatedly assaulted
Russian and Rumanian positions. The
majority of these attacks have failed,
though the Rumanians have fallen back
on Ocna and the Germans have wrested
Pantizin from the enemy, the latter
success endangering Russian and Ru-
manian lines of communication in the
lower Moldavia.
Several counter attacks have been
launched by the Slavs in recent days,
and these have been successful to un-
expected degree. though it may be said
much is not expected of the Russians
at the present moment
In the Galicia Podolia sector the Ger
mans have been forced to fall back
twenty miles, according to unofficial adj
vices, under fierce Russian attacks.
Fierce battles have been fought in the
vicinity of Brody. while in Volhynia
the Germans show signs of renewing
an offensive on broad lines.
During recent weeks the Germans
have shown greater activity in the re-
gions about Riga, Dvinsk and Smorgen
and even Gen. Korniloff expects the
Teutons to usher in an offensive in the
immediate future. He states that the
Russian forces are well organized and
have sufficient equipment to meet the
expected shock, but admits the temper
of the Slavic forces remains to be de-
termined
Though there have been no striking
successes for the Russians or Ruma-
mans. nevertheless the entente capitals
are showing great qualification that
the Slavs are resisting the enemy with
any degree of firmness at all.
x. x
On the Austro Italian front in the
direction of Trente and toward Trieste.
there have
Italy Is Getting been sharp ar
More Guns for Drive. dnr,ns A saoon.
days and quite few minor clashes, but
as a whole chief activities have been
devoted to aerial raids. The Austrians
have bombarded Venice from the Skies
highly successful raids against numer-
Gus enemy military stations behind the
lines.
1t is reported from italy that the
forces of sGen. Cadorna yet have to
gain additional artillery before their
success in the direction Of Trieste can
be absolutely assured. Entente powers
now are in the act Of making italian
failure impossible. sending vast stores
Of munitions and guns to Italy,