New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-12
Halicz

Halicz by the Russians has naturally gwen
rise to a very general impression that the
Austro-German position in Lemberg is Ia
tally threatened, and that by the occupa-
ton of Halicz the Russians have IN fact
won a victory which will mean the ulti-
mate evacuation Of the Galician capital
by the Austro- Germans. Thus we hear OF
Halicz constantly as the key of Lemberg,
as a railroad centre of Importance and as
q town of considerable military strength.
In point of fact, Halicz is not the key
of Lemberg; it is not directly on any rail
road, and it consisted before August, 1914,
of a single street of struggling 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 day or
two ago.
Far more important are the latest bull
letins announcing the crossing of the Lom-
MICA River to the west. If this advance is
made good it is the gravest possible men
ace to Lemberg. Similar bulletins an
nouncing the passing of the Dniester at
Halicz accentuate the danger.
The general conviction on the subject
of Halicz arises from the fact that in 1914,
when Brusiloff made his successful ad-
vance on Lemberg, the break in the Aus
trian line took place at an obscure town
not many miles from Halicz, 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 Importance which
did not belong to it.
In 1914 the Austrian army was stand
ing in front of Lemberg behind the Gnila
Lipa River, thirty-odd miles from the city.
This was the last defence of the city,
which, despite current dispatches, is not a
fortress, but an open town. 1t was po-
sition of strength behind the little river,
which flows south and served as an actual
moat for the carefully fortified Austrian
line. But the Austrian numbers and ar
tillery were insufficient for the task of
holding this line. Brusiloff broke it near
the point where the Gnila Lipa River en-
tiers the Dniester, crossed the river and
thus turned the flank of the Austrians
who were compelled to retreat and fall back
westward of Lemberg to the Grodek line.
To-day the situation is quite different
The Austro- German army is not standing
behind the Gnila Lipa line, but behind the
Zlota Lipa, which flows parallel to the
Gnila Lipa a dozen miles or more to the
eastward. It's extreme flank only rest:
upon the Gnila Lipa River opposite Halic7
and on the north side of the Dniestel
River. This army has not been shaken
and so far as we know is not yet in re
treat. What has happened is that another
Austrian army, prolonging the front of tht
first from the Dniester to the Carpathians
has been defeated and driven westward
II is falling back to the Lomnica River
and the result Of its retreat is the evacua
ton Of Halcz. The possession of Halle;
will only affect the Austrian position NORTH
Of the Dniester, when the Russians have
made good the crossing Of the river re
ported last night. On the other hand
if the Austrians are not able TO rally a.
the Lomnica River and stop the Russians
then the Russians will be able to advance
up the valley Of the Dnester, which here
flows from northward TO southeast AnC
this advance would be in the rear of thu
Austrian army north Of the Dniester.
We are at one Of the interesting crises
which come in an offensive. Last yeal
Brusiloff broke the Austrian lines neal
Lutsk at the small town Of Olyka. III
broke them on relatively wide front, go
clean through, with the result that tn
whole Austrian line in this sector collapsed
and the Austrian retreat ended only a
the Stokhod River and after the arrival o.
German reserves. Any such break nov
south Of the Dniester would almost inevi
tally mean the evacuation Of Lemberg, bu
the fate Of Lemberg will be determined no
by the fall Of Halicz, but by the forcini
Of the Lomnica River line.
Actually, Brusiloff has thrust wedg'