The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-09

Washington, March s.-gerYnany la
ready 70 launch her Western Offensive.
according to italian official advgces
arriving here this afternoon from,
Switzerland.
THE central empires" the dispatches
stated. have completed their military
preparations and the beginning Of the
offensive against the entente is iumi-
nent.
Everything goes 70 indicate thae
the operations Of Get mani In France
VIII be simultaneous with the offensive
II Austria against italy. From the
same 5ourcss It is learned that Aus-
tro-Huneartan troops have already
been concentrated in very large mum
bers along the Italian line 4nd the.
strong contingents ara sti;; moving
to our front"
The American army organization
faces the future win confidence
Steady and satisfactory progress in be-
ing made by the fgating machine of
this country in preparation for the
ordeal 1t was Indicated tonight by Ma
jor-General Peyton 6. March, acting
chief-of-statS, who is back from ths
front to direct things fror3 this end.
start From Bottom.
"Of course" he cautioned we had
TO start from the bottom. The hand
ling OF a problem OF such rnagniturs
must necessarily he slow, Rut the
progress Is being made. The big gzma
Is moving along. That ia the impor-
tant fact,
within the past twenty-four hours
no additional lists OF American CASUAL
ties have been made public This ar
ternoon the following brief announces
ment was made by the committee on
public information;
Hereafter tho committee on puhiis
Information will not issue casualty
lists, Correspondents, editors and tho
public should apply In the future di-
rectly 10 the war department for all
information concerning casualtias.''
Inquiries Of Adtutaut General MCCAIN
of the army late today disclosed the
fact that while the department plans
to make public nil names nothing will
he made public concerning dates.
wounds inflicted, on what part OF the
line the were killed or wounded
or their home addresses In this coun~
try The information, It was stated.
will be withheld on recommendation
OF General Pershing.
Huns Get Inform alton.
General Pershing reported the Ger.
mans have been able TO obtain from
the casualty lists published Ia thu
United states information of valus
concerning the identity of the Ameri-
can units opposing them on the Lcrv
raire and other sectors.
Protesting that suppression OF the
home addresses would make the Hats
valueless for publication. the commit
tee has refused TO handle them. Par
euts and next of kin will be notified
as heretofore direct from Washington.
In view of similarity of names, how
ever. much confusion Is anticipated by
the committee. Orders from the whita
House may be necessary to straighten
out the matter.
In the meantime, pending the miii-
tary and naval developn ents expect
ed AT any time, officials. military and
naval men. and diplomats are watch.
ing with keenest interest and SONS
anxiety the marcF os the Germans on
to petrcgrad. and Jspan's apparent
marking of time respecting Siberia.
lengthy cabisgraEi was received
before the cabinet met from Roland r
Morris, United statss ambassador ut
Toxic knowing this some officials
predicted a lifting nf the veil befors
nightfall. but at the state department.
assurance was given that the comma.
nication in no wise dealt with the jar
anese plan OF Interrogation In StherfA
nor with the informal representations i
OF this countrg IN dissent thersfrem.
ffsrnffnuAd nm m nth pnaAh so