The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-08-17
Reports of Fall of City
OF WarsaW Conflicting
RedArmyClaims
Capture WarSaW
Defense Of Polish Capital Is
Broken Down by Constant
Attacks of Enemies.

HltdCkS OI EIeIIlleS.
London, Aug. 17,l-uAS pm)--d. NJ.
S.)-~Whdther or not the Russians have
penetrated Warsaw, the Polish capital,
occupying part OF tho city was In doubt
this afternoon. The Polish legation
and the British foreign office united In
a denial that any part OF the city has
been captured by the soviet army.
At o'clock the British war office
gave out the text of a Russian wire
less dispatch In the form OF the regular
soviet war office communicate saying!
"rhe heart OF Warsaw has been oc-
cupied."
A fow minutes later the real Russian
war uillce communique was Issued. but
II made no mention Of the occupation
OF Warsaw The British war Office ex-
planned this mystery by saying that a
mistake had evidently been made In
confusing wireless communication
passing between Russian field head.
quarters and Moscow for the formal
communicne which IL received from
Moscow daily.
The British wireless station picked
up all available messages sent by the
Russian station. although only news OF
military operations IL given out to the
public. The message referring to "the
heart OF Warsaw" may have been code,
" was pointed OUT,
The foreign Office was still without
| Polish negotiations at Minsk up to
noon, Foreign Office officials were
| plainly mystlhed, as the Russians had
| guaranteed the Poles both free wire-
less and courier communication with
| Warsaw. Belief was expressed that
| the Russians might be "stalling" In
hope OF capturing warsaw before the
| negotiations were completely under
way. II was pointed out. however, that
| tho Poles finding that their defenses
were holding and that the Russians
were suffering heavy losses ~ iutle
| attacks, were also inclined TO delay be-
fore entering actual peace discussions
A mystery developed when the soviet
war Office communique failed TO mem
tion the occupation VI any part OF WAR;
saw, II was explained by the brltlsh
war office that the earlier Russian wire
less dispatch which had been taken for
tho soviet war office communiuue
must have been n wireless communica-
ton passing from Russian teld wlre-
less station TO the bolshevik govern
ment station at MOSCOW,
Much confusion over tho real MILL
tary situation on the warsaw fghtlng
front had arisen earlier IN tho day as
n result Of Central News dispatch
isauad at 1850 o'clock, saying
"a bolshevlkl official statement en'
nounces that Warsaw has been oecu-
pied"
Not Confirmed,
An Immediate investigation by the
International News Service bureau was
unable 10 secure official continuation OF
the fall OF Warsaw, British military
experts offered the explanation that the
ofiiclnl statement had come from the
Wilma command IN southern Lithuanla.
near the Polish frontier, British army
officers who are In close touch With the
| Russo Polish military nituntion,. nhld
| that the Official statement cnrrlea by
the Central News was not 70 ne
| credited,
| Formal announcement by the soviel
| war aoiIlea that The Russians had hrukrF
| through The Polish lines and entRfHf
4 WnrBnw eatnn ASA surprise, for all uh'
| official dispatches from the Russo.
| Polish war theater during the night hnC
| emphasized the fact that Polish re-
| Hlstance had stlffenod and that the Rus
| sian advance had been stemmed at the
! suburbs. II wnE pointed out that a
| telcgraphic error might have occurred
| In the soviet war Office rndioErAm dur-
| Ing tranamHHon and that Il should
| have read "part of Warsaw occu-
pied instead of "tho heart OF Warsaw
| occupied"
III the former version were correct
| military experts said that the Russians
may have gotten no further than the
| outskirts OF the city, perhaps reaching
ths old artillery ground on the eastern
side or the suburb OF 0rodxlsk to tho
| north.
The Russians have been making tro-
mondouA effort to take Warsaw since
| last Friday. Tho red army WAS evil
| IDENTITY under preliminary orders to cap
| ture Warsaw ut all costs before the
| hrmlRtce and preliminary peace neKo'
tiatlons could get under way AZ Minsk
| so that the Russians would hold q
stronger tactical position TO dictate
terms
Counter rhrusts.
The Poles began a sorlek OF counter
thruHtH northwest, north and east ol
the city and claimed 70 have stopped
the Russian onruhh That the situation
IN Warsaw was critical, however, WIS
shown hy thn fact that the british and
French missions left tho city and went
to PoAen sunday night.
The following report was recelvad
| from the British mission At fosen dated
| Monday afternoon;
"The Poles are nghtlnE .Eailantlf
| Southeast Of warsaw ne oolshsyis,I
fllghi. The inner trenches are hold
1,eriin reports that the Russians that
crossed the frontier Of west Prussia
have advanced twenty-five miles into
| west pruAalan soil and captured Lohau.
| They ara moving upon the mighty Tort
| reHs OF GraudenE. ~ the Nirtuia river.
| According 10 German dispatches the
| Poles on Monday were violently counter
| attacking In the region ef plonsk.
| northwest Of Warnhw and were sue
ceAsfully resisting the Russian thruaIs
The latest Polish war ONCE corn
munlque received here follows
"Fightiug along tho llug river. Is
favorable TO the Poles. The busslnns
| that rrosAcd the hug near NoldaNa we're
! thrown back across the river. The To.
lsh loft wing delivered successful
counter thrust near Mava. We rc'
pulacd the enemy south OF the lower
| Bug"
! Vlodava Is iis miles southeast oi
Warsaw. Mlava Is fifty miles northwest
| OF Warsaw,
t'nnfncial advicss from Warsaw said
| that tho ioiss were counter attacking
| an three sides Of tho capital and had
! ntrmmed the Russian advance at least
| for the time being.
Tho PueA were rushing all available
reserves under the direction ~ veteran
Fronch officers.