New-York tribune., 1917-07-23
Tarnopol in Flames and
Russian Army in
Retreat
Troops North of
Dniester Crumpled
"Fateful Hour Has Struck" 4"
Says Proclamation
to Russians

feat in Eastern Galicia is growing
hourly. The entire front north of the
Dniester River is reported by Berlin
and Vienna to be crumpling Petro-
grad admits retreat beyond the Ser
eth. The Russian Seventh Army, south
Of Ziochof, affected by the pres
sure on its flank, is now on the retreat.
The important town of Tarnopol, east
Of Lemberg, is reported in flames, and
the victorious Germans have entered
one of its suburbs.
Premier Kerensky has fastened to
the front to rally the demoralized and
retreating forces, after issuing at the
capital a stirring proclamation to the
nation declaring that "the fateful hour
has struck" for Russia and calling
upon the people to suppress Anarchist
activities, which have caused the mill
tary debacle.
The Kaiser also is reported to be
hurrying to the East front to urge the
Teutons forward. Politically and on
the field of battle the supreme test
for Russia seems 10 be at hand.
Meanwhile the Russians are making
desperate effort on the northern bat
tlefront, south of Smorgon, to divert
the enemy from his sweeping attack
in Gslica. Yesterday they penetrated
the German positions at several points,
and Berlin to-day reports that the ot-
fensive is rapidly spreading to the
north OF Smorgon, as far as Narocz
Lake, and between DrysviatY and
Dvinsk, on a front of many miles.
Germans Widen Wedge
The wedge driven into the Russian
defence lines east Of Lemberg by tie
Germans has widened and deepened
until it embraces virtually all the ter
ritory on a twenty-mile from. west OF
Tarnopol and nearly touches that town,
if it does not include it. While the
Russians have fought with great vigor
at many points. the pressure Of the
masses of fresh German troops on
their fanks has been too powerful for
them to withstand.
The gap in their lines is so acute that
the victorious Germans are finding il
comparatively simple task to press
forward on either flank. Apparently
few, if any, Austrian troops are being
employed in the advance north of the
Dniester; the attack is being made with
German infantry and Austrian artillery
The Germans are also making frequent
use of aeroplanes TO throw the retreat
ing Russians into a panic and destroy
their communications and wagon trains.
The fact that stands out in all the
official reports is the collapse Of the
Russian defence system on the Sereth
snd the failure of the Russian Seventh
Army 10 stand firm in the region of
Brzezany. Petrograd admits tonight
that the Russians already have retired
behind the Sereth and tnat Tarnopol
has beer invested on three sides and
one of its southern suburbs captured
By the enemy.
Russians to Make a Stand
All the bridgeheads in this region
have been destroyed by the Russians
and it is apparent they mean 10 make
stand behind the river. The Russian
soldiers are showing such thorough dis
organization. however, that it may be
impossible to rally them for a fight.
Brusiloff reports tonight:
"Our troops have shown complete
disobedience toward their commanders.
E. In spite Of our superiority in num-
bers in the regions attacked, our retl eat
was almost uninterrupted. This is the
result of the instability of our troops,
disregard for military orders and the
propaganda of the MaXimalists."
The Germans took the offensive on
the Lomnica also yesterday and drove
the Russians across the stream from
the village of Babino.
Both Berlin and Vienna lay stress
on the completeness of the victory and
its increasing magnitude. II is spoken
of as formidable blow" and great
success for the German and allied
arms" Berlin asserts that everywhere
that the Russians flung reserve forces
into the breach they were completely
defeated and suffered enormous losses.
The number of prisoners and the
amount of booty taken by the Germans
are described as immense. AT Jezierna,
on the Tarnopol-Zlochof Railway, rich
supplies of provisions and munitions
are said 70 have been taken.
Railroad in Hands of Germans
Apparently the entire railroad from
Zlochoff TO Tarnopol is now in the
hands of the enemy. Several villages
east of the Sereth are reported by OBJ
servers to be in flames, suggesting that
/ the Russian retreat is continuing be-
/ yond the river.
Should the Russian retirement extend
TO the Brzezany front, as well as be-
yond the Sereth, the entire Russian line
/ 10 the north, in Volhynia, would be I'M
rerilled. and Brusiloff might easily lose
in a few days all the territory won by
his ofrensives of the last two years As
il is now. the Brody and Lutsk sectors
are seriously threatened by the con-
tinued advance of the German masses
10 the south and the widening OF the
wedge in the region of Tarnopol.
The retreat OF the Russians from
Rrzezany would also mean the speedy
loss of Halicz and the Stanislau line,
which would be fanked from the north.
| Pussia's "Fdteful Hour Has
c,r,,rL"tbs Provisional GoUerrt-