The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-26

What Happened to Russia.
Now as to the actual story Of the
Russian breakdown. Last month we
left the Russian armies south OF the
Dniester sweeping forward at some
points, but still, in the main, halted
by Austro. German efforts along the
line of the Lomnica River, southeast
Of Lembers and west of Stanislau.
Halicz had been taken. Kalusz taken
and lost; tho moment had come when
this fight had reached a crisis.
Before there could be any determi-
nation Of this battle. the whole Rus
sian line north Of the Dneistcr before
Tarnopol and northward to the Lem
berg -Brody railroad suddenly col
lapsed. There was no considerable
German attack, there was no great
engagement. but panic, a rout en-
sued. German spies. German agents,
and war-weary and delud-
ed soldiers united In the destruction
Of discipline. and the army which
had taken Koniuchy and threatened
Brzezany two weeks ago was sud
denly transformed into a fleeing horde.
comparable to That army which sci
out from the battlefield of First Bull
Run for Washington.
Even In this situation the German
forces were unable to follow the rab.
BILE and deal with 1t decisively. Afte,
q flight that extended to the Russian
frontier the rally came. At last new
troops and old troops disgusted with
the performance returned to the
charge. the Russian line was restored
and stood and stands at tho frontier
But the retreat had surrendered tn,
lines Of the Sereth. all the ground won
by the offensives Of July IA. Is. and
Ia. ="
And the effect Of this collapse of the
Russian center In Galicia was to lcav,
he victorious army south Of the
Dneister in the AIR. 1t had no choic,
PM to fall rapidly back for a hundre,
miles through Bukovina to the Rus
Nan boundary. surrendering all O.
Rukovina and all Of Galicia held sine.
The opening Of the campaign of las
rsar. ],D
When the reaFHangement was com
piete the Austrians once more couh,
boast soil practically freed of tn.
invader and this had not been tn.
case since the very opening days
the war.
In men the Russiana lost surprising
" little by this wrotched performance
Omcial German figures placed tn.
captures, up to mid-August from Ru
mania to the Bug, at only $4,000 mer
and 2s7 guns. In their offensive i,
April the British and French togethe:
had captured over $1,000 Germa.
prisoners and more than 400 guns
The Russians in their first two week.
this year, while the armies sti!
fought, had taken $4,000 prisoners an,
captures In Rumania brought the bal
ance even for the two forces on Tho
front. Compare thi
with 10000 Austrian prisoners take,
by the Russians after Lemberg II
1914 or 10000 prisoners after thu
capture Of Lutsk last year. The loss
OF guns was more serious. but thu
real disaster was the destruction O
the cohesion Of the Russian armies.
At q critical moment the inevitabl
effect Of the domestic agitations ha,
been felt and Germany had been save,
from deadly peril. the peril fiowinr
from the opening Of a Joint attack IL.
the east and In the west. She coul,
now concentrate her attention upo,
Belgium and Artois. for even II Rus
sian armies could be reorganized and
restored. before the end Of the cam
paigning season 1t was beyond possi.
bility. that they could conduct O new
offensive.
And with this collapse we see
Brusiloff, the greatest Of Russian gen.
erals. give way to Korniloff; we see
Kerensky and the new members OF
the cabinet Joining In drastic and far
reaching policies to restore discipline
and we see what promises to be g
recrudescence of national sentiment
and reasoned patriotism in Russia
The situation as the month ends is IA
better than when 1t opened. A Russo.
Rumanian campaign in the fragmen,
~ Rumania left IN tia DeoDle has in