RUSSIA'S TASK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 24 May 1915, Page 2

RUSSIA'S TASK.

THE,HOUR AND THEi MAN.

The Grand Duke Nicholas (writes The Times' I'etrogracl correspondent; is a soidier and, L believe, understands the weakness and the strength of his own army and his own' soldiers as does no other Russian general. He has sufficient moral strength to retreat if need be, reardless of what political effect a withdrawal may have. He realises that his i troops on the defensive are the peers j of any soldiers in the world,. Against the Austrians, who are outclassed by the Russians, his campaigns have ever •been of the, offensive type and almost universally successful. Wherever, possible he has made the Germans come to him, and if one looks back over the last few months one comes to realise that his policy of drawing the Germans on' and on, always weakening them, and making them pay heavily for every foot of advance, has cost the. Germans more in men and morale than any operations that have taken place since the attacks aimed on Calais. The policy of Russia is undoubtedly to weaken the Germans, absorbing as many of the Teuton array corps as possible on the Eastern front, while she proceeds patiently with her task of digesting the residue of the Austro-Hun-garian armies. If Russia does this, and does it successfully, she is doing all that her allies should expect or demand of her. When Germany has been sapped to the dregs and her initiative broken, someone, be it in the East or in the West, may break through her lines and force the war home. Russia is setting systematicallyabout this all-im-portant task; Every corps absorbed on this Eastern campaign of the Germans is just so many thousand men kept away from the Western front, and every costly victory or still more costly reprise of the Teutons in Poland or in East Prussia is making the task just so much the lighter for the Western Allies. Neither the Press nor the public of Western Europe should experience undue anxiety Qver Russian withdrawals or alleged German victories. Russia has the men, the organisation, and a limitless capacity for absorbing defeat, which makes each temporary set-back little but tz. stepping-stone to an ultimate advance. Above all she hag a quiet, calm, determined man at the helm of her general staff, wh« intends to win this war if jit takes the last rouble and the last peasant ■soldier tha\ Ltussia possesses.