Republican farmer., 1918-08-30
DENIES STORY OF BIG
 AMERICAN CASUAL TIES
Chief of Staff Says All Gas ualties Are Reported As
 Promptly As Possible.
SITUATION NOW IS FAVORABLE TO ALLIES
American Forces in France Now Number 1,50O, 900,
 Gen. March Announces.

Washington, Aug. 24-Mem- bers of the Senate military committee were assured by Gen. March at their weekly conference today that stories of great unpublished American casualties overseas are wholly false and that all casualties among the expeditionary forces are given to the public as promptly as the cables can transmit them.
 The chief of staff, without discuss ing in detail the great Allied forward movement now under way, said the situation on the western front now was decidedly favorable to the Allies.
 Further improvement m the ship ping situation was noted and General March said the program of transport ing troops to France was going ahead "4lIOuI CIdIS0.
 | Washington, Aug. 24.-The total number of soldiers embarked now has passed the 100000 mark, Gene. al March, chief of staff, announced to- i day.
 1 Com slenting on the military situa- ton, the~chief of staff pointed out that since last Wednesday the French ad- vance has continued from the plateau overlooking Noyon down to the Disc river, making a maximum advance 1 for these troops of nine miles since ] August IS. This has forced the en- emy back across the Disc.
 The French success, he said, has been duplicated by the British. who inaugurated an attack on Wednesday south of Arras. Rapidly advancing t'F E-l't.sh reached a depth of three miles but their progress has been held up by German counter attacks. The railroads to Arras still is in German hands according to latest official ad. vices. and the Germans are utilizing largely in their defense the railroad | embankments.
 The British thrust on Thursday ir the Albert region resulted in an i'm portant advance beteen the Ancre ant the Somme rivers which, Gen. MarcE said, has developed a new salient.
 The rest of the line since Wednesday has been reasonably quiet, he said, tht Allied activities being confined t "nibbling" tactics and artillery fire.
 Gen. March spoke warmly of the achievements of the American sol diers in France.
 "The American soldier deserves the confidence of the American people, he said. Every time they have beer tested they have absolutely delivered tn goods.'
 Every man who has served witf American troops has absolute conf dence in them" he added, citing the reports made to him personally b! American officers returning iron France to take higher rank in nev action in which an American division captured 6S guns and brought then back at the rear O. army trucks.
 This division at the same time cap tured $500 prisoners Anothe American division in a single actiol took 10 complete German batteries anc presented them to Gen. Pershing.
 Gen. March said statements h, made recently in hearings before thu military committee were the result of cold blooded military opinion ant were not intended to raise the hope of t people. He apparently referred to his testimony that an army of 4, 900, ,O00 Americans could win the wa next year.
 In answer to questions he said tht 83rd Division Pennsylvania ant , Ohia troops), is serving as replace ment division; the 37th Division : (Ohio troops) is in the Fourth Arm. Corps.
 The 18th Division District of Co lumbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania has reached France and is in training in the Fear of the line.
 No recent report has come to thu department from Gen. Pershing re garding progress in the organization of the First Field Army. Gen. Marcl was unable to say whether tn American divisions forming this arm.
 have been concentrated in nev
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