Omaha daily bee., 1918-06-16
TROOPS
RUSHING
OVERSEAS
More Than 100000 Americans
Now in France; Movement to
Be Kept Up, Says Gen.
eraI March.
(By Associated Press.)

give the allies a mastering su-
periority of numbers over the
German invaders, American
troops are being rushed to
France as rapidly as transport
tonnage will permit.
When the purpose will be
realized cannot now be fore
told, but more than 100000
men have been sent overseas
and this number will be in
creased to 100000 early IN
July.
These facts were announced today
bv Gen. Peyton c. March, chief OF
staff. III inaugurating the governments
new policy of giving newspaper men
weekly summary of battle cond'-
tions.
Line Lengthened IS Miles.
Facing great map of the battle
lines, with every operation of the Ger
man offensive shown upon it, General
March drew a graphic picture OF a
single gigantic campaign extending
from Rheims to the sea, where the
allied lines have been battered back in
four successive phases. The great
wedge of assault has now increased
the allied lines 66 miles from Rheims
to Ynres.
"In a condition of this kind" said
General March, with quick gesture at
the map, where new line has to be
held and where the attacks Of the
Germans have been made with such
large forces as they have, the i'm
portanee of getting American troops
to the front is more and more pre-
eminent.
"We have now passed the 100000
mark in troops shipped overseas"
Rush to Be Kept Up.
The extent of the American troop
movement was particularly striking,
because Secretary Baker stated less
than a week ago that more than 7O0,-
600" had embarked. The fact that the
figure had increased approximately
100000 in less than seven days drew
a quick question as to when definite
superiority in man power might be
attained.
"The matter of the number of
troops on the western 'front.'" General
March replied, 'is a question that
must be considered with reference not
only to the enemy divisions which
have been known there all along, bN
with the potential increase which
might be attained by bringing divi-
sions from the eastern front.
'It is impossibleto predict day
say a month-ahead-or any other
definite time-When mastering su-
periority will Be in the hands of the
allies, but the number of troops we
are sending across now is limited only
by the capacity of the ships to carry
them, and we intend to keep that up"
Channel Ports Hun Objective.
General March made it clear that
there is no doubt in his mind or in
that of the allied military leaders that
the channel ports are the main objec-
tive of the whole German effort. In
terse sentences and with quick mo-
tions toward the map as he followed
out the strategy of the one great bat
tie, he outlined the situation that Cen
eral Foch is facing.
"The four drives" he said, zone be-
ginning March Il, the next April 9,
the third May II, and the present one
June 9, are all part Of the common
scheme of offensive. Considering as a
whole the succession of attacks. the
first penetrated the allied line some 36
miles into Picardy, the second some
Is miles into Flanders and the third
a distance Of SO miles further along
the Marne. Under the present drive
the line has been penetrated an aver
age distance OF from FIVE and one-half
to six miles.
"All of these drives have been
stopped. The present advance is more
to straighten out the German line
than it is military movement with
definite and important objective-like
Paris, for instance"
Battle Near Final Stage.
In connection with the advance
toward Paris, General March pointed
out that the farthest point they had
thus far reached this year was 20H
miles farther away from Paris than
the point of their nearest approach
to that city in 1914, While General
March did not say so, it was evident
that he anticipates further efforts to
complete the reduction of the Com
piegne salient before the major move
ment toward the channel is resumed. |
Other officers feel that the renewal OF
the assault on the British lines will |
definitely mark the beginning of the
final stage of the battle. but they also
believe that the German strategists |
may not be willing to leave the}allie !
in possession OF strong points like
Conlpiegue, with its surrounding fo--
csts, which would be in the rear and |
81 tie fink of the thrust tow ard the ]
coast.