Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-06
us. BRINGS DRf
BY ALLIES NEA
Increase in American Man
Power Changes Tide
of Fighting
FOCH HARASSING ENEMY
Creating Diversions That
Make German Preparations
for Offensive Difficult
Washington, July 6.

Increasing man.powcr and rapidly
extending control of the air have
permitted the adoption OF new pol
icy by General Foch, supreme COM
mander of the Allied armies on the
western front, in the opinion OF many
observers here. They believe the So
quenco of hard blows that have bcen
struck recently by French. Americans
British and Italian troops shows 4 (
new phase the great battle Is devel.
opng which might expand into . 4
major operation on any part OF the
front where the situation was found
favorable.
Reports of the recent highly sue.
cessful strokes at the German line1
are taken here to indicate General
Foch no longer feels under the urgent
necessity of keeping rigidly on the de-
fensive in order to conserve his forces
for the expected renewal of the Ger
man offensive.
The fact the Germans have been
completely surprised and overwhelmed
by several of the local counter-operes
tions is believed to be due to the Work
Of the Allied airmen. A.
Change Tide of Fighting
In both cases American aid already
! has served to change the tide of the
fighting. The arrival of American
troops by the hundreds of thousands
has enabled General Foch to begin
harassing the enemy all along the line.
while the increasing number OF Amer
lean pilots makes possible concentra-
tions of air forces that sweep enemy
| scouts out of the sky in the sectors
selected for limited drives.
The American attacks around Cha
teau Thierry, the French operations
on the Soissons front of the Com
pegne salient and the British opera
tions on both sides of the Somme and
in Flanders probably were prompted
by the fact the weakness of the enemy
at those particular points had been
revealed by airplane observations or
as a result of raids at other points.
Quick advantage was taken undoupt-
edly for surprise blows where GeF-
man reserves were on the move.
II is assumed here that General
Foch now intends to give no rest 70
the enemy. Points of vantage held py
him which would be of value as the
starting place for a new major thrust
are being recaptured all along tnc
line The effect is to embarrass Ger
man prepare tions. and officers here -
. lieve the fact that any of these i0crl
operations by the Allies may suddenly
deyelop into a more important move
ment tends to keep the Germarr re
serves scattered along the whole line
: Allies Create Diversion
The activity of the Allied forces i
: believed by observers here to put
; wholly new aspect on the problem
d meeting the forthcoming Germany &
I tort to renew his movement eiNn4
: toward the Channel ports or Pe9
q The possibilities of feints at ren1l
y parts Of the line to cover the deNet
e ment of the real attack until II Va
we'll under way are believed to 10
less promising. as it is the Allies VIII
: are now creating diversions and no
f the Germans.
v It is regarded as probable that Gen
: eral Foch will be able to form accu
: rate estimates of the course and
strength of the blow before 1t is deliv
cred and make his concentrations ol
o reserves accordingly. If so. officeri
here have hopes that the German as
sault, when 1t does come, can b
T stopped without any considerable sur
render of territory.