Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1915. THE RUSSIAN FALL BACK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13718, 23 June 1915, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1915. THE RUSSIAN FALL BACK.

"Nichevieto" is » commonplace Russian expression, signifying "What does it matter?" and thereby illustrating a phase of Russian character which is shining at its best to-day. "Nichevieto" has been said a good many times by the Russians m the course of the past ten- months as their armies have* been driven before the .German military machine or entrapped m its powerful clutches, and generally the calm philosophic faith m the .capacity of their generals and m the ultimate outcome of vast operations of which these Teverses have been counted but as incidents has been justified by subsequent developments. The Russian army, though it lias sometimes to fall away because of the difficulties of supply and equipment, shows a wonderful capacity to recuperate arid to hit back. Its sup - ; plies of men are inexhaustible, the courage of its soldiers is superb, and the .strategy of its generals is fully a match for the astute Von Hindenfetirg. If only Russia was able to equip her armies with anything like the same standard of guns as the German army possesses and with as ample supplies of I ammunition there would be a different story to tell. But even with -reverses such as the recapture of Przeinysl, the defeat ah Grodek, and the anticipated evacuation of Lemberg there is no reason for discouragement. The Russians are not by- any means defeated. We have it to-day on the word of one of their ablest commanders, General Alexieff, that Russia can stand losses almost indefinitely and 'is willing to accept the burden of breakingf the German wave until, the Germans have reached the limit of their strength, when the time will arrive for the Rus-

sian advance to begin. Riissia is playing her part nobly m decimating thq enemy. Every push ba#k that the Germans give to the Russian- line costs them tremendously m men and mater : ial. Their losses m the recent fighting have been described as colossal, and these have occurred amongst troops withdrawn from the Western theatre. The war must resolve itself, on the point as to how far and for how long Germany can stand this attrition. The

rapid change m the Galician campaign

m favor of Germany and Austria need nob necessarily cause great concern. Russian strategy hitherto has proved effective enough m this region. In taking Leraberg the Austrians will be merely getting back one of their own cities captured earlier m the war. Their, •invasion of Russian territory has been neither extensive nor fruitful. Warsaw is a goal as far away" as Paris and Calais. The Germans are getting further und further from their line of communications, and if the Grand Duke Nicholas is hoping by retirement to lead them on he is having great success. His whole strategy hitherto has been to allow the Germans to advance » and then, to turn and rend them when r within sight of their objective. It is , quite possible that the advance of the - Germans not only m Galicia, but also " m East- Prussia, has just about reached high water mark aiid that the' Russian policy of letting the German wave I break until it is fully spent is the right one for all the Allies.