Eastern News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 78, 6 April 1915, Page 5

Eastern News

THE STORY OF PRZEMYSL.

OFFICERS LJVE ON THE BEST WHILE SOLDIERS STARVE.

A GRUESOME SIGHT

Times and Sydney Sun Service. (Received 9 p.m.) London, April 5. The Times' correspondent, describing Frssemysl, says:

It is a story of an impregnable fortress two or three times over-garri-soned. The patient, haggard soldiers were starving in the trenches, while sleek and faultlessly-dressed officers were living on the tat of the land in the fashionable hotels and restaurants. The captured garrison consisted of 131,000 men, and 4000 officers, while there were -10,000 civilians, but experts estimate that 50,000 could have held the place against any forces. When the pinch through lack of food came, the situation was acute. All except the officers' cavalry and the transport horses had been consumed. Cats were being sold at 8s each and dogs at 7s. When the garrison became thin and half-starved, the officers filled the cafes, played cards and billiards, and led the Vienna life. They did not share the hardships of the men and had every luxury, while their own orderlies and servants begged for a slice of bread. Soldiers fell in the streets through weakness and hunger. The officers retained their private thoroughbred mounts until the day before the surrender, when 2000 were killed to prevent the Russians obtaining them. .

iA Russian officer states that when he entered the town he saw half-crazed Austrian-Hungarian soldiers tearing the horses' bodies, their faces and hands being smeared with blood, and devouring the raw flesh. When it was obviously utterly impossible to hold out any longer the Austrian's destroyed with 1 enormous charges of dynamite three bridges over the San, the explosion breaking all the windows in that part of the town. Munitions and military stores were dumped into the river; the guns in the forts were demolished, and the stocks of the rifles were broken. When the destruction was completed, the Austrians asked for a parley, which was agreed to. Three representatives were sent, and these discussed and accepted terms of capitulation amounting to unconditional surrender. It is impossible, says the officer, to conceive a greater contrast'between the business-like Rus, sian officers and the easy-going dapper Austrians. The former were serious, hardfighting men, while the latter in wasp-waisted, smart uniforms, were trailing their sabres and sauntering ahinglaughing,, and joking. The Aus"'tfians throughout, had plenty of ammunition and grossly outnumbered the Russians, yet they made only one real effort to break out, the force comprising thirty thousand, all of whom were Hungarians. The civilians gladly welcomed the Russians. The Austrians and Hungarians were first-class as raw material, but they are now utterly broken and hopeless, which is due to the wretched officers, who are the most incompetent in Europe, and who appeared to have been parasites and did not contribute to the defence. THE RUSSIAN ONSLAUGHT ENEMY FORCES RUSHED TO THE CARPATHIANS. United Press Association. t (Received 12.45 p.uu) Berne, April o. A German army corps left Flanders to assist the Austrians in the Carpathians, and a large number of troops have been withdrawn from the Tyrol to stop the Russian advance. ■

THE POSITION AT LODZ.

Petrograd, April 1

A traveller from Lodz states that the Germans are working day and night at railways and bridges to facilitate retreat. Lodz has not suffered greatly from the bombardment, but pillage and violence of every description is proceeding. MISCELLANEOUS. Venice, April 3. A correspondent of the Xen Freio Presse states that the Pussiaiis arc making a superhuman attack on the Austrian centre in the Carpathians, with constantly increasing forces. They have seemingly endless reserves. Telegrams from the front dwell almost hopelessly upon the Russians' enormous strength. The Germans arc now largely reinforcing Hungary.