The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-23
TARNOPOLFALLS
WHILE RUSSIANS
KEEP UP FLIGHT
Retreat on Southern Front
Endangers Whole Line
of Republics Force.
MAXIMALISTS TO BLAME
TeutOns Drive 25 Mile Wedge
Into Galicia-Gain at wilma
May Save Slavs.

LONDON, July 22.-Dlre peril faces the
Russian armies on the whole southern
front because Of the utter Generalization
Of the troops fleeing before the German
offensive in eastern Galicia. The Rus
slams have given up the city of Tarno-
pol. which Is in flames, while to tho
south another Russian army is begin
ming to break.
Scattered and broken. the Russian
troops have fled across the River Sereth,
burning the bridges behind them. The
German and Austrian pursuers have
reached the right bank OF the Sereth,
with only a demoralized mob to contest
the crossings.
This tremendous reverse has been
caused solely by the instability of the
Russian troops. worked upon by the pro-
German exhortations OF the Maxlmalists.
the Russian radicals.
Our troops have shown complete dis
obedience toward their commanders and
are continuing their retreat" says the
official statement from Petrograd. "our
retreat was almost uninterrupted"
There is just a chance that the whole
Russian army and the republic itself
will not have to pay a staggering price
for the treRchery of the army about
Tarnopol To the north the Russian
armies on the Wilma front have started
a big drive aimed at that highly i'm
portant centre OF German communica-
tions and have at some points pierced
the German lines.
Drive by Russians.
A night bulletin issued by the German
War Office says that very strong Rus
sian attacks were made near Smorgen
and Krevo, where artillery fire for days
has been violent After saying that the
attacks broke down." the statement
adds that 'at few places where the
Russians penetrated our line the hght-
ing continues"
Success on the northern front must
come quickly IL IT is to retrieve the very
dangerous situation in Galicia. The Ger
mans have now driven a wedge nearly
twenty-five miles deep and ten miles
wide into the Russian front. and II they
cross the Sereth threaten to cut the
whole southern front in two. That done,
any disaster would be possible.
From Berlin and Vienna come reports
that the army formerly commanded by
Gen. Kornlioff has been forced to give
way. Its northern flank was left ex-
posed by the withdrawal of the panic
stricken Russians near Tarnopol II this
movement continues all the ground
gained in the recent Russian offensive,
Including Halicz, must be relinquished.
The Russian official statement fol-
lows:
Southwest of Dvlnsk, in the direc-
tion of Wilma and Baranovichi, an
| intense artillery duel is proceeding.
! West OF Tarnopol the enemy continues
to attack in the direction OF Tarnopol
| and toward the south along the Stripa.
Our troops have shown complete
disobedience toward their commanders
and are continuing their retreat be-
| yond the Sereth. Only the 155th pivi-
sion resisted in the region OF Dodge
anka. Our armored cars fired on
German cavalry on the Tarnopol road
Toward the evening OF July IS our
troops made a stand on the Sereth on
| the Zalorzce Tarnopol Tychkomaze
front The village of Zagorbilla, a
suburb OF Tarnopol, is in the hands OF
| the enemy.
In spite OF our superiority in num-
| bers in the regions attacked, our re-
| treat was almost uninterrupted. This
| is the result OF the instability of our
troops, disregard for military orders
and the propaganda OF the Maxlmal-
| lists.