RUSSIA AND THE BALKANS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 146, 22 June 1915, Page 6

RUSSIA AND THE BALKANS

With the sound of the guns in Lemberg the German offensive haß advanced to a very critical stage, and the Russian civilian exodus from ,the city indicates that no unlimited confidence is felt in the ability of the Tsar's troops to hold the Galician capital. The moral consequences of an expulsion of the Russians from Galicia would be important in all quarters, and especially in the Balkan States. Russia lost no great amount of prestige owing to the failure of the original idea of steam-roller progression. If the Grand Duke's armies did not grind their gradual, relentless, traction-engine sort of march to Berlin, neither did Germany succeed in pushing her meteoric way into Paris, and the failure of the lightning stroke at the French capital took all the sting out of the non-success of early anticipations concerning the Russian blow at Germany. But, coming at this stage, a dislodgment from Galicia would be morally damaging to both Russia and her Allies. The GaliciaBukowina strip is the last bit of enemy territory the Russians hold in Europ*. Their East Prussian raids have been converted into a counter-attack on their own Baltic provinces ; they have never succeeded in freeing Poland of German troops or in permanently holding any portion of Germany; and if their grip on Austria, which was generally believed to be enduring, is shaken off, the hands of the clock on the eastern front will be distinctly moved back. Considering all things, however, it is still very difficult to believe that this last calamity is going to materialise, and it would be rash to attempt to base a conclusion on the cabled evidence. The German effort to impress Bulgaria and the Balkan neutrals is obvious enough, and must be meeting with some success ; on the other hand, it is suggested that Anglo-French attempts to produce a counter-impression by means of tfce Dardanelles campaign are handicapped by the limited fighting area of the Gallipoli Peninsula and the consequent deadlock. The only German soil (apart from colonies) now held by an enemy is a small piece of Alsace. Austria, with German aid., has forced back the Russian grip in Galicia, but meanwhile has been bitten in a fresh place by Italy. And a military decision appears to be, on both fronts, still remote.