The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-25
Only 20 Miles Separates
Part of Men From Ger
many Soil.
FIGHTING ALE A D
Necessity Still Keen for
Sending Trained Sol
diers to France With
All Speed.

Washington, Aug. 24-The mill
tary forces OF the United States are
nearer the Rhine than any command
Of the allies and the Rhine is sepa-
rated from the advanced American
posts by distance Of only twenty
miles This was disclosed today by
General March, chief Of STAN. in his
Saturday talk with the representa-
tives Of the press.
The military maps show that it is
only about that distance from Muehl-
haus to the watch on the Rhine"
The nearest point of the allies and
Americans from the Rhine in the
upper sectors is opposite Coblentz.
which IS about twenty miles away
from the allied advanced posts.
Having in mind. however. the
work that IL yet TO be done by the
combined armies on the western
front, General March spoke very
emphatlcAlly and informatively about
the necessity Of having the Americans
in France in the full mum bers of
which ne had advised congress. He
said
During the last week in hearings
before the senate and house commit
tees in answer to SPECIFIC questions as
to the effect OF the proposed mill
France. / made some statements
which We're released to the press.
Those statements are deliberate
military opinions they are founded
upea tila study of the respective man
power of all the allies and of the en-
envy al the time indicated in 1919 and
are not simply issued as spreadeagle
statements. they are cold blostled
military opinion"
Recurring to The subject again
General March said.
The deliberate military opinion is
my opinion OF the value of these
troops 10 the allied cause upon their
delivery in France June so. 1919"
In line with his thought on this
subject. General March announced
that the United States had now en-
barked l.500, 600 men for overseas
service. This is about half the mum
Der that General March has stated
ought 10 be in France in July, 1919.
The British troops engaged in the
present drive OF General Haig came in
for official compliments from General
( March After reciting the exploits OF
the British as given in the press,
General March said
The fine work which has been
done by the French during the past
week has been duplicated on the
British front"
This was in reference to the dash
of the British over Albert and their
occupation Of positions between the
Ancre and the Somme and their bril-
/ liant charges south OF Arras which
were not stopped until the Germans
took cover behind the entertainments
! of the Arras- Amiens railroad.
I General March also gazetted the
+ first and second American divisions
the first of which in one engagement
captured slXty-eight guns and took
$500 prisoners. and the second took
ten complete German batteries which
4 they brought on and presented to
! General PerShing.
General March showed today that
the story that thousands OF blind
American soldiers are being brought
to Paris is false. General Pershine
has heard that circular is being cen
around in the united States asking
persons to buy picture for the hell
OF the blind. The fact is, according
to a special courier from Genera
Pershing, who has reached the Wa,
department. that there were only two
blind soldiers in Paris up 10 August 8
1t was announced at the conference
that General March has ordered baci
from France certain men who hav,
distinguished themselves there. Thes
Will be increased in rank in the divi
sions which are being formed here
General March said that these return
ing men all paid high tribute to Tn
valor of the American troops.
General March also paid high trib
ute 10 the troops abroad and observed
that any one who had served witt
them and knew them as he ha,
would be inspired with the utmos
confidence in their spirit and persona