Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-08-03

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Tho Russian offensive has two quite
distinct a~spec8-the military. which
roenains still of minor value. and the
moral which may easily be Of the
greatest importance. In the present
art1nlO / mean to discuss the military
some OF the possibilities hat n may
perceive, now hat Russia has struck
again.
AS to tho military aspect. it 10 neces-
eary to say at the very outset that
there has been no repetition Of the
either In tho early or late phases OF
the Galician n Voihynian campaign.
Measured by prisoners captured and
ground gained. the Russian achieve
ment still falls short of the French
success Of last April, which is now rec
ogntxed to have been local and without
decisive or oven satisfactory conse-
Quencee.
A ear ago, beginning on June 5, the
Russian armies in Galicia and Volhynia
struck a series Of blows against the
Austrian armies which brought the lat
ter near to complete destruction. With
the nrst attack eastward of the fort
fosses Of IMtsk and Dubno the Austrian
n was pierced in several places. In
tho early days many thousands of pris-
ener were taken, and the ultimate
cnnSequerh,e Of the first success was a
retreat from Dubno and Lutsk to the
0ne Of The StOkhOd river, a retreat of
moro than 40 miles In places and yer
avery wide front.
Last Years Offensive.
A renewal Of the offensive southwark
IN August led to new successes and to
the occupation of the Bukowina and a
portion OF Calicia south of the Dniester,
including the cities of Czernowitx and
OF. Stanislau. In the first 10 days of
August the Russians on either side of
the Dniester took nearly $4,000 prison
ers and \ vast store of material and
munitions. Finally, between June and
September the Russians captured near
ly 4OO, 000 prisoners, together with enor-
NOUS numbers Of guns and a great
wealth of war material.
All this great success was due to the
completeness of The initial victory.
After the first days in June the ques-
ton became plain; 1t was a question OF
where and when the Germans would
be able to stop the Russian flood which
a broken through the Austro-German
dixie and was swirling forward toward
the vital railroad point Of Kovel. When
they succeeded in checking it before
Kovel and at the Stokhod it broke out
to the southwark and, piercing other
lines, rushed on through Brody toward
Lemberg. Checked at last less than 40
miles from Lemberg, it broke through
again to the south Of the Dniester and
engulfed new regions.
Now, we a say at the very outset
that the new Russian offensive in its
first days accomplished nothing remote
ly suggesting h clear and definite re-
suits of the June attack of Brnsiloff
eastward of Lutsk and Dubno. 1t gained
ground just as all offensives of either
side in the west have gained ground.
1t gained less ground, and far less inn
portant ground, than the British about
Arras, than the French between Sois-
sons and Auberive. 1t resulted in the
capture of some 10000 prisoners and a
few guns but this was below the British
or French bag in April.
Conceivably. this original attack will
be followed by others which will make
great and perhaps decisive braches in
b Austro-German lines; but such re
curing attacks as have come up to July
. do not suggest this; rather they point
the Austro-German forces, such as has
become familiar to ali who have follow
ed western operations since trench war
began.N In June, 1916. the reports of
Russian succeAe grew with each. hour;
Is vas days before there was any sug-
Russian advance: In July. 1917: we had
halt Of two days wholly reminiscent
Of the Aisne and Of the several Cham
payne affairs.
Danger Of Exasnsration.
It seems to me there is very grave
danger at this time that there will be
IA exa8geEAti0n OF the military value OF
Russian operations, which may lead to
disappointment hereafter. The fact
that Russia . attacked when all at
tack by the SlAvs seemed unlikely has
taken the world by surprise. and the ad-
dIt4onal fact that the Russians have
gained ground and taken prisoners
serves to brighten the impression that.
We arc now to have one more Russian
sweep like that to and through Lem
besg u 1914 and toward K0vel and
1Mnberg In 1915. We ma have Il, but
thae - nothing in the first movements
70 euG8eot that any such prOgress IL
likely. II y . great thing that Russia
hAs attacked; it may easily bo that Rus
as return to the charge viii be q
landmark In the history Of the war. but
1inor military value.
The point selected by tho Russians
s1pe-thetr first attack after. 90 many
sSMonthex Of quiet Ii familiar fighting
GIound. Along the Zlota Lipaa Brusijoff
sboGAn his great. advance In August,
1914, which led directly to the battles
about Lemb0r8 and the first over
s16oau11ne Austrian defeat, with the
11~a06eeauent rNtreat to the Dunajec. At
NJ Z1ota I1pa tho Russian retreat from
f1SlAMsDunaJec Tho following sum,Ener
IGSnSo pause, although finally the
U1oND made their permanent stand q
1fff3os mogo Ia the ea1t, about TarnOpOl.g
s0nstll6 front Count Hotlnnsr made. hin