Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1920 — RUSS FIGHT POLES ON WIDE FRONT [ARTICLE]

RUSS FIGHT POLES ON WIDE FRONT

Great Spring Offensive is Begun by the Bolshevik Army. FIGHT TO CAPTUBE ROVNO Reds Make Small Advances Despite Desperate Resistance of Polish Troops—Heavy Artillery Used. • Warsaw, March 20.—Bolshevik attacks have been launched against the Polish line at scattered points along a front of approximately 400 miles, and Ihe long-planned spring attack by the Russian soviet armies apparently has commenced. While the bolshevlkl have made small advances at some places, despite the resistance of the Poles, the hitter have been holding the enemy; in check tn most sections, say official statements. The reds have been compelled to retreat from several newly-acquired positions along the front, but fighting) still continues, the soviet troops using) heavy artillery, tanks, armored cars and other apparatus captured fromt Gen. Deniklne on the south Russian front. Reds Battle for Rovno. Most severe fighting took place on Tuesday on the Poleslan-Podoll front near the Galician frontier, the bolshevikl concentrating their attacks on; this sector In an effort to capture Rovno, an Important railroad center, and Kamenetz-Podolsk, a city highly) prized because of Its strategic Importance. Further north in the region of Rzecycza and Kalenkowltz, northeast of Mozlr, the enemy took several small 1 villages, which were recovered by the Poles after a day’s fighting. Heavy engagements ar-> also reported in’the vicinity of Zaslava, southeast Rovno and Staro-Konstantinov, where the reds attempted to cross the Slutch river. ( Big Battle In Progrtt*. East'of Kamenetz-Podolsk the battle Is still going on, both sides using artillery and bringing up reinforcements. Some crack bolshevik divisions are In, line along this sector, and cavalry Is being used. Rovno is particularly valuable to the Poles, as through it runs the only railroad by which supplies can be ship, ped to the army along the southeastern front. In their drive against this city the bolshevlkl hurled two divisions Into the battle In an attempt to outflank the Poles. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued In villages just to the east of the Slutch river, and the enemy was finally compelled to retire. He resumed the onslaught, however, and the struggle Is still going oh In the vicinity of Bubar and Ostropol, where, in spite of their use of heavy artillery in preparation for their assault, the reds have not succeeded In crossing the Slutch. In sectors where the Poles have repelled the soviet hordes they have found great heaps of bridge building materials, which were brought up In preparation for crossing several streams that flow along the front