Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-06
RUSSIAN REVOLT
UPSETS ALLIES
CAMPAIGN PLAN
London Expert Declares Out
look Was Good Before So
cialists Took Power

London, June 6. - The military
correspondent of the Times, discuss
ing the Russian situation. says in
effect that the Russian revolution
has wrecked the plans for the en-
tente allied campaign of 1917. The
full view that Russia may yet strike
useful blows, but he shows no great
confidence
The writer says the situation of
the Russian armies before the out
break of the revolution was extreme
ly favorable. The losses of 1916 had
been made good, the depots filled,
a great number of new divisions
were created and guns and NUM-
tions were steadily increasing in
quantity. This latter was not mere
ly the result of an increasing output
from the Russian factories. but was
also due to the fact that the allies
had sent hundreds of guns and mil
lions of rounds of ammunition in
the firm belief that the Russians
were prepared to make good use of
them against the common enemy.
The correspondent continues:
Russia was at least passably
equipped and, although internal diff
ficulties of transport and supply
were far from overcome, the Russian
military chiefs assured us that we
could count this year on the ener-
getic support of Russian armies, both
in Europe and in Asia Minor.
Planned in Detail
"On the faith of these assurances,
the campaign of 1917 was planned.
The Franco British offensive in the
west was designed to open early in
the year so as to forestall a German
attack. whether In the east or west,
and help our Russian allies by call
ing down upon ourselves all avail
able reserve of the enemy. In the
same spirit of good comradeship,
Murray, on the borders of Palestine
and Maude in Mesopotamia proceed
ed to attract to themselves as many
Turkish divisions as possible, thus
tightening the task of the Russian
army in the Caucasus.
Our operations proceeded as
planned and we attacked to the west
the best German divisions, of which
156 now are on our hands. Italy
stepped gallantly into the arena as
soon as the season permitted while
Belgium and Portugal took the field.
Thus all the west European allies
were gathered at the trysting places
and became engaged in hard fight
ing, with the result OF IaCllltaUnB
Russia's task. We have decidedly
done so and although IS German
divisions and somo Sc Austro- Hun
garians still face Russia they are
mainly landwehr, landsturm or tired
regulars of the reserves. while the
constant stream of German heavy
guns has recently flowed from the
east to the west, stiffening the Ger
man defense of which recent reports
of the fighting gave proof.
Ground For Hope
The allied campaign in the west
anticipated timely cooperation of
early in March. two or three times
superior numerically to the Austro-
Germans facing them. Thanks to
the devotion of the western allies, a
brilliant campaign by the gallant
Russian armies seemed assured and
their intervention was timed for a
certain date. But when the date
came no Russian intervention oc-
Cured"
The writer pays a hearty tribute
to the efforts and sacrifices of the
Russias since the beginning of the
war, but says it is virtually impossi-
BILE for Russia to transform her po-
litical institution at the crisis of
great war, without being any way
temporarily incapacitated.
The correspondent finds ground
for hope in the Russian character
and sees the possibility sof a sudden
rally which would carry the Russian
armies over the German lines in a
tumultuous horde.