New-York tribune., 1918-09-29
Western Front Drive Pre-
vented German Aid to
Ally, Staff Chief Says
84th Division Arrives
Safely in France
News Good Last Week,
Continuously Better This
Army Leader Declares

WASHINGTON, Sept 2s.-The i'm
pending collapse of Bulgaria, General
March said to-day, is q direct result
Of the concentration of the American
forces on the Western front.
Hitherto, General March explained,
whenever section of the Central En-
pires was menaced Germany was able
10 withdraw divisions from the West
front to bolster up the threatened
point. That day is now past" he
added, las a result of the concenrra-
non of the entire American army on
,he Western front. This has forced
the German General staff to keep
intact their whole strength in France
The elimination of Bulgaria, the
chief of stan pointed out, should
separate peace be granted, would fore
shadow the isolation Of Turkey and
The possible re-entry of Rumania into
the war. The effect of these events
on the grand strategy OF the war was
obvious he said.
Summarizing the situation on all
fronts, General March sad "As the
news was continuously good last week
it has been continuously better this
week
Small Forces Win
Turning to the Balkan front, General
March characterized the operations
there as q tremendous drive carried
out by relatively small forces" 1t
resulted he said. in the quick capture
of the railroad lines running through
The Cerna and Vardar valleys, which,
in addition to being the main supply
lines for the Bulgarian front on both
sides, constituted also their principal
avenues of escape.
The advance of the Allies has re
suited in disorganizaton of the Bul-
garians, particularly those which have
been trapped between the Vardar and
-ha Albanian mountains They cry
for peace from the Bulgarians was
taken as direct evidence of the serious
situation of the principal Bulgarian
forces.
As to the success of the picturesque
advance" of the British i'll Palestine
General March said, the most conspicu-
Gus feature of this was the flight OF
the German commander in chief, who
apparently got out in advance Of ms
troops.
French Near st. Quentin
General March referred TO the new
British drive, launched yesterday
against Cambria, but his official in
formation was far behind the advices
over press cables to-day. The furthest
points reached by the drive. as shown
in dispatches to the department,
brought the British within three miles
of the city. Further south, ne said
the French were within two miles of
st. Quentin.
In the new Franco American drive
the American forces west Of Nerdun
have passed beyond the Hndenburg
line, and are facing the new Kriem-
hid line. General March was unable
10 identify positively American units
which participated in this action. He
said the attack was characterized by
the same sharpness and rapidity which
mad heretofore xarked the American
operations. On she FIRST day Pershing's
men advanced from five to six miles.
Official dispatches to date show the
capture by the Americans in this sector
of 5000 prisoners, while the French
20 the west Of them have taken more
than 1000.
General March announced that prac-
tically all of the s4th Division (Ken-
lucky, Indiana and Southern Illinois,
nas now arrived abroad