The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-12
Bolsheviki Are Driven Back
From Kiev Bridgehead.
Mighty Blow by Poles and
Ukrainians Is Struck.
STRAIGHTENIhG WHOLE LINE
New Towns on Dnieper River
Are Captured.
Ukrainians in South Are Push
ing Their Advance.

Warsaw. May 12.-Polish and Jyk-
rainian forces have struck a mighty
piow at the Russian Bolsheviki front
far north of Kiev and have driven the
enemy oack along the Beresina river.
betchltsa, an important Dniener
river crossing. has been captured ana
serious losses have been inflicted or
.he soviet army. Fighting is now go
ing g on over front of approximately
Straighten Polish Line.
Necessity of Strengthening the Polish,
ilhe after the capture of Kiey is .zid
to have led to the new offensire
"hlcn extends from almost directly
west OF Vitebsk to below Kiey on IN.
Dmeper. Polish forces have crossed
tne Beresina river at several noints
fighting oA'er heaVy
Northeast of Mozir the BoIshev,tt
nave been forced across the Dnienar
A1tempts We're made by the enemy 10
destroy the railroad bridge at Bet-
cIltsa, put Polish units prevented this
prisoners. Announcement is maSe
eHaI TWO soviet regiments were am
town. ouu inns
Reds Arc Slowly Retreatinr.
from kiev northward to the mouth
fifty miles, the Bolsheviki on The wast
side of the Dnieper are SLOWLY fs,,,rs
oack and are building bridges 10 70
| ciltate their escape before the main
pouy OF the Polish army reaches the
Latest advice indicate the Rolsh.-
VlN nave been driven back out OF tha
hieV bridge head. Before this retira
ment was forced heavy artillery was
faIntalned IAN on kiev. often taking the
lol,n M 81 a oarrage. intended appar-
ehtiy 10 prevent the Poles and JJkrain
ians from bringing up reinforcenoent,
and supplies.
Odessa Reported Taken.
Terror prevailed among the peonla
m the city during the bombardment
the sound of shells passing over head
toward the roads leading into Kiev
from the west causing CONSERVATION
city streets.
Capture of Odessa, the most irnnor-
tant Russian port on the Black sea. il
reported. Official advices of the tax
ihs OF the city have not as yet been
received. the communiques dealing
with events of some days ago appar-
gn1ly as they tell of the capture of
Iultschin and Bratzlau on the Bug
river, some distance north of Odessa.
Kicv Badly Wrecked.
Kiev, May IL CBy Courier to War
| saw Americana entering Kiev today
on the heels of Polish troops were
struck with the neglected and diIapi-
dated appearance of the city. Theirs
was scarcely a building intact in the
city. In residential districts there re-
main only protruding foundations.
Board after board has been taken
away for firewood during the winters
of the last few years until nothing re-
! mains of superstructures. The streets
were covered with dirt and filth, and
in many places neglected pavements
were overgrown with grass.
Nevertheless the cupoIas and spirea
OF its numerous churches still give
kiev its famous sky line.
| Most of the stores of Kiev have been
! closed for months. When the Polish
and Ukrainian troops marched into
! kiev this morning peasants accompan-
led them to the edge OF the town and
after the soldiers had made formal
entry the country people swarmed the
! markets.