Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-05


are not yet sufficiently awake. 1 be-
lieve this because I do not see In the
military situation. granted that Amer
lea does her part, any cause for pes
simism whatever.
A good deal of salutary information
might be derived by Americans 4 they
would sit down and read the history
Of the campaigns of 1868 in the civil
war. and. after it. Lincoln's second
inaugural address. In my judgment
the end Of the campaign Of 1918 will
see Germany decisively beaten, and
do not think the submarine can prevent
this defeat In that time.
1918 Year Of Victory.
1t seems to me. looking all the evil
dence fairly in the face, that Germany
can escape decisive defeat only IL there
Is no campaign of 1918. and 1 believe
every American should be on his guard
against the battle that is being waged
In this country to prevent that cam
paign. Is 1t not significant that every
German influence in the United States
is working to prevail upon this coun-
try to make such a peace proposal as
will save Germany and leave her with
her power for harm undestroyed: II
only 1t is left to the soldiers, be-
lieve 1918 will be the victory year for
the nations allied against Germany.
believe also that the war will be won
on the western front.
The news from the eastern front re-
mains SO vague that it Is difficult to
astef or to forecast its consequences.
So far as one can now see, what has
happened Is this: The Russian army
which had successfully advanced north
tween the Dniester river and the Brody-
Lemberg railroad. was suddenly
thrown into disorder and began a pre-
cipitate retreat eastward along the
Lemberg-Tarnopol railroad and high
way. opening a gap in the whole Rus
sian front in Galicia.
Russian News Not Clear.
This particular performance seems
to have been timed by German spies
to coincide with a German advance on
this front. The combination Of the
two things resulted in eone of the
worst coilapses of the whole war When
the retreat began the Russian army
Immediately affected was facing Lem
berg. some forty-odd miles away. its
front extending from the Lemberg-
Tarnopol railroad southwest to the
Zlota Lipa river, and thence across
this river to the Dniester river. Now.
after two weeks Of the retreat. this
Russian army is retreating from the
strong position which 1t held on the
Zlota Lipa beyond the second strong
position which 1t might have held.
which was on tho Strypa river, and be-
Sereth river, on which Tarnopol is stu
ated. Actually. to Judge from the lat
est reports, this Russian army is now
either on the Russian frontier or across
It in Russian territory all the way
south from the Brody-Lemberg rail-
road to the neighborhood of the Dnies-
ter river. It has evacuated not merely
all the ground which 1t won in the re-
cent offensive. but 1t has evacuated
also all the ground won by tho Of
ton. retreAting beyond the limits of the
great Russian retreat which followed
the defeat at the Dunajec, in the spring
OF 1915.
Retreat Not . Bout.
Tho effect Of this retreat on the army
Immediately to tho south. which had
ago. and had taken Halicz and Kalusz,
was immediate. So far as one can now
see, this army had not lost its morale,
nor has it's retreat become a rout.
Nevertheless, it has had repeatedly to
draw back, first from the ground OBJ
tanned between the Lomnica river and
the Bistritza river, which represented
the gain of the recent offensive. and
then practically all Of the country be-
pathians as far as the Rumanian
boundary and the city of Czernowitz,
which has also been reported to have
been evacuated.
given up practically all the Austrian
territory which they held-something
like 10000 square miles-including a
considerable portion of Austrian Galicia
and all OF Bukowtna. With very slight
exceptions Austrian territory is now
free of Russian troops. for the first
time in almost three years.
So much for what has actually taken
place. The question now arises whe ther
the disorganized retreat will go Tor
in the whole Russian line from the
Brody -Lemberg railroad right down to
the Dniester river. and this gap will
!, threaten the whole Russian line. 1t
will open the way either for an en-
veloping movement toward Kiev and
Odessa, or else a sweep southwark.
which would complete the conquest of
Rumania.
Russian Rally Possible.
1t 10 too early to forecast either a
great disaster or q Russian rally. But
1t should be clearly recognized that If
Germany now possesses the troops and
the transport to press her great ad-
vantage. which has come as the result
of tina Russian collapse. We may see all
Rumania occupied and German and
Austrian troops reach the Black sea
ports Of Russia.
On the contrary, we may see a Rus
sian rally. either at the frontier or be-
hind 1t. which will restore the CONT
nuity of the whole line fro mthe Gulf of
Riga to the Black sea. This may be due
To ptNr atrvr L. ~
due to the fact that Germany and Aus
tria now lack the reserves for q sus-
tanned offensive necessary to reach
Kiev or Odessa. We can only recognize
that one of the greatest disasters in
| military history has been made posi-
BILE by the collapse OF the Russian army
| In Austrian Galicia. and 1t will proba-
bly, be some weeks before 1t will be safe
| to forecast the outcome.
Other Armies Are Standing.