The Washington herald., 1921-03-15
Silesian Plebiscite Is Ex-
pected to Be Signal for
Red Attack.
WILMA AND LEMBERG
AS DANGER POINTS
Lazareviko's Plan for Of
fensive Believed Adopted
By Trotzky.
Especial Cable to The washington Herald
and Chicago Tribune.)
NJ IoHN CLAYTON

CoBLENZ. March 14.-Important
information regarding the disposi-
tion of Red Russia's armies along
the western frontier was made
available to the correspondent here
today from an official source.
1t was revealed that the third.
sixth, fourteenth and sixteenth
Russian armies. totaling twenty
three divisions. supported by artil-
lery. cavalry and other units, have
been Identified as participating in
two most important concentrations.
Two Drives Indicated.
These troop concentrations in
dicste the adoption by the Red
high command of Gen. Lazareviko's
recommendations, made to War
Ministry Trotzky in January. ad-
vising an attack against Poland.
via Wilma on the north and Lemberg
on the south. timed with the Upper
Silesian plebiscite.
In this connection it is interesting
to note that Foreign Minister Joffc
still is delaying definite peace ne
gotiations between Poland and
Russia.
Eight divisions of reserves are
concentrated in the kiev area and
thirteen other divisions. whose army
organizations are unide ntified, are
known to be supporting the four
armies mentioned. Eight cavalry
divisions are known to be located
along the Western front. but as yet
only four have been observed-one
Of them in the Pripet marshes.
Massed ~ Divisions.
The source of information declares
that II Is known definitely that a
grand total Of ffty-seven divisions
were concentrated on March 1 be-
tween Petrograd and Odessa.
In South Russia, the area in which
Gen. Baron Wrangel operated, there
ae four divisions, and in the Cau-
casus are the eleventh army and
part of the ninth army, of which
only four divisions remain uniden-
tilted.
Only two divisions of armed
troops have been located in Turkes-
tan, but more are believed to be
there. There also is one division in
Siberia and one in North Russia.
The definite disposition of the
Russian forces shows that concen-
trations are heaviest before wilma
and Lemberg, with but few troops
on the Polish Eastern frontier.
Twenty Divisions Menace wilma.
Between Petrograd and the i'm
portant railway center, Veliki-Luki,
there are two divisions of tho third
army and two unidentified divisions
The main force of the third army is
and Lepel with advance headquarters
at Mohilev and general headquar-
ters at Minskud.
Thus the forces threatening Wilma
now total between twenty and
twenty-three divisions. They were
under the command of Gen. Tou-
gechevik March /.
1t is probable that several divi-
sions have been temporarily remov-
ed to the Petrograd area during the
past Two Weeks 10 assist In nghtlng
the revolutionists of that territory.
Line Lightly Held.
Along the Polish eastern frontier
in the Yampol section only one divi-
sion of frontier guards has been
identified. This line is but lightly
held by Polish and Bolshevik forces.
Heavy concentration of red troops
begins again near the Yampol area,
From there to Odessa, facing the
Rumanian armies across the Dnies-
ter River, are the Fourteenth and
Sixth Army Corps-nine divisions
of infantry. supported by at least
three cavalry divisions and five
infantry divisions whose army or
ganization is unknown.
The disposition of the four d.
visions which have not been locat-
ed Is believed to be between Kiey
and Lemberg. Between seventeen
and twenty-one divisions are in posi-
tion to attack on the Galician from
tier, with the support of the re-
serves in the Kiev area.
Copyright, ls2l.)