RUSSIA'S TASK.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1916, Page 9

RUSSIA'S TASK.

Describing the conditions on the eastern front, between Riga and Dvinsk, in the first week in October, the Morning Post's correspondent says: "The temperature now prevailing is what in England would be called severe winter weather. Warm clothing for the bulk of the troops cannot be got up to the German front for weeks or perhaps months, owing to the disorganisation of the communications. Russia will quietly spend "the winter in organising victory. It is recognised that the Germans, compelled to undergo the rigors of the real Russian winter under the constant annoyance of Russian attacks, will lose more men by sickness and suffer a deeper demoralization than comes from even the worst defeats in the open field. It is evident already that the Anglo-French bold stroke of a month ago was only an attempt, not an accomplishment, and that the work there is still all to do. The Russian winter is henceforth Russia's best ally, and the wearing-down process, though silent, is recognised as being more certain than the gallant dash for victory which characterised the Russian fighting earlier in the war. The Germans are already suffering terrible hardships and the consequent deadly waves of sickness from weather which the Russian considers warm—namely, the outer fringe of the coming winter. That snow and frost have set in so early is exceptional, and adds confidence to the courage of the pious Russians. The meaning of this early appearance is that winter, when it really conies, will be what even the hardy Russian calls severe—namely, such frosts as only Arctic explorers speak of in Knglanu, frosts which bring birds on the wing dropping dead like stones upon the three-foot crust of flint of hard mother earth."

A Russian correspondent has an interesting note concerning the southern group of armies, commanded by IvanofT.

"from the accounts of the visits of the Czar and Czarevitch to the armies on the south-western front," he says, "the Russian nation for the first time knows the nn.mea of the commanders of the respective armies engaged there. General Brusiloff is commander of the heroic army mentioned in despatches at the beginning of the war in connection with the brilliant operations in Galicia. His army at present is operating on the Styr, where it carried out an energetic offensive against Linsingen's and Puhallo's armies. General Lechitsky, whose name is now given for the first time, has been well known in army, circles since the beginning of the war as a gifted and energetic leader of an army which also played an important part in the Galician campaign, guarding the right flank of the Third, or Dnnajee, Army. Conjointly with General Scherbaehoff, whose name is also made puMic as commander of an army, General Lechitsky is working under General Ivanoff's direction in Galician territory, and has performed brilliant exploits in the Tarnoppol region and to the north and south of that place. We are beholden to the skill and energy of these three army commanders for the failure of the Aus-tro-German plan to capture the RovnoSarny railway, a failure by which the enemy was deprived of important means of communication and was unable to reap the full advantage of his offensive campaign in Russia. We look to them, to pin Linsingen's group so Hiat no further removals to the Serbian front can be risked by the enemy."