The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-31
BOLSHEvIKI ARE
ONCE MORE ON
The OFFENSIVE
General WrangePs Armies in
Crimea Meet Disaster.
At Brest-LitOvsk and Lemberg
Reds Surge Back.
PEACE FARLEY IS POSTPONED
Delegates Leave Minsk-Start
All Over Next Week.
Fighting Reported Along En-
tire Polish Front.
POLES ON DEFENSIVE AGAIN
Delegates Leave Minsk-Start
All Over Next Week.
Fighting Reported Along En-
tire Polish Front.
POLES on DEFENSIVE AGAIN
Soviet Forces Take Several
Town in the North.
Poland Cannot Afford to Refuse
Offensive Says Pilsudski.

Virtual collapse of the wrangel anti
Bolshevik movement in South Russia
was indicated in an official COM
munique received from Moscow today.
The Bolsheviki claimed Wrangels
armies had been wiped out on the
Kuban front and that in the Crimean
region he had been driven back more
than fifty miles. If these reports are
true. the position of his forces in the
remaining sector. the Don region,
would be greatly imperilled.
Wrangel, recognition of whose gov
ernment by France a few weeks ago,
created a temporary breach between
the British and French governments,
began his operations from Sebastopol
in the Crimea.
About the time he began a major Of
fensive to throw the Bolsheviki across
the River Dnieper, WrangeI announced
the landing of expeditions in the Don
and Kuban regions.
Establishing headquarters in Tagan-
rog, the Don expedition pushed up the
valley of the river of that name toward
Rostof, seeking to occupy the rich coal
basins.
The Kuban expedition with its base
at Novo Rossusk. was reported to have
driven seventy-five miles inland. occu-
pying the important city of Ekater-
inodar. The Bolshevik communiquc
said this expedition had been com
pletely annihilated" and its headquar-
ters destroyed.
The communique further stated that
Wrangel had been forced entirely out
of Taurida and was only occupying the
Crimea. This would indicate a retreat
of fully fifty miles on a 1OO-mile front
The Reds apparently are in posi-
ton to move upon the isolated Don ex-
pedition from three sides.
Increase Pressure on Lemberg.
Warsaw. Aug. 31.-The BoIsheviki
have increased their counter offensive
in the Lemberg region to the proper
tions of a. major engagement. and are
seeking to encircle that city by driv-
ing in from the northward. it was in
dicated in today's Polish official COM
munique.
Lemberg and Cholm. where the Poles
are desperately resisting.
North of Belz (35 miles north of
Lemberg) there is fierce fighting" the
communique said.
General Budenny's cavalry is ad-
vancing toward Zamosc C65 miles
northeast of Lemberg) despite our re-
sistance.
1.-The enemy's advance is taking the
direction of Przemysl $50 miles west
of Lemberg). We are determinedly
resisting the Red offensivess'
Poles to the Defensive.
President Pilsudski in an intervie v
today, clearly indicated his belief that
Poland cannot afford to remain on the
defensive after it had cleared its ter
ritory of the Russians.
There are only two solutions, eth er
to march forward and crush the Reds
so completely they will be forced to
speak to US in another tone. or to re-
main on an illusory frontier" he said.
General Budenny's advance guards
I have reached Tysovce, after desperate
fighting" the Polish official COM
munique said today.
(Tysovce is fifty miles north of Lem
berg and only fifteen miles from
communique announced was the Rus
sian cavalry leaders first objective in
his encircling movement of Lemberg
from the north.)
Peace PRrIey Postponed.
Peace negotiations between Polish
and Russian delegations at Minsk have
been interrupted. according to a wire
less dispatch received here
| Most of the Polish delegates have
| left Minsk for Brest-Litovsk, while
/ the Boisheviki representatives have
gone to Moscow. both sides planning
to resume the conference within a
week, probably at Riga
Moscow Claims Victory.
Moscow, via wireless 70 London.
Aug. 31.-General Wrangel has suf-
] lfered a crushing defeat on two fronts
in the Black sea theater Of war. ac-
cording to an official statement issued
here today.
Wrangel's forces in the Kuban have
been completely annihilated," the
statemen. said.
After defeating them, the soviet
forces cut their communications and
surrounded and destroyed their head
quarters.
In the northern portion of the
Taurida province the wrange1 columns
have been completely beaten and no
hold only the Crimea-"
Another communiaue indicated q re
tCcntinued on Page Two.J