The Washington times., 1918-03-30
ALLIES TOFORCE
FIGHT TO FINISH
UNDER GEN. FOCH
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
CONTINUED from First Page. ]

NSOh1Ah1C4 AAOAh = a. - . 49,
man front lines opposite the American
sector TO be lightly held or not held az
all Is certainly premedlated plan on the
part Of the German command to save
men and to give as little oftense as pos
sibls at this time. while the fve-hour
bombardment was precautionary against
surprise and to break Up possible mass
formation OF attack.
That the allies are concentrating
for a mass movement OF the greatest
Importance IL reflected by the call
for troops from the United States.
This call will be met as fast as ships
are available. The President and his
Cabinet yesterday went over this
question thoroughly, but 81 IL no
secret that the War Department and
the council OF war have already ex-
amined the question in the minutest
detail for weeks past. The sole ques-
tion involved in the forwarding Of
troops Is the question OF priority be-
tween shipments OF men and ma
terials. Wherever materials can be
sacrificed men will be sent.
England In Best Position.
It is obvious that England Is now In
the best position TO forward men to
the front to meet any possible exist
ing emergency. while the United
States, because of. the longer haul.
can forward men to England to take
the place of withdrawn British troops,
or, II time permits. they can be dis
patched to France direc'
The recent seizure q Dutch ships.
adding 600 900 tons to the allies ship
ping facilities, will go far toward
enabling the United States to divert
chips for transport service immedi-
ately II II Is the decision of the war
council in Paris that men are more
important than anything else at this
time.
1t Is apparent from the known
forces now under the allied command
in France and England that the
allied plan OF campaign goes much
further than mere temporary consid-
Grafton. The flght begun by the Ger
mans is to be continued to a I'm
ish. For the purpose of such plan
of campaign II Is the opinion here
that every man in the United States
army who has been in training for
six months is available for this test
of strength. To tell how many men
In this ountry ready for action, would
be, by a mere process of subtraction,
to tell the Germans how many men
the United States now has in France.
II can be said, however. that this
country is now ready to pour men
across the Atlantic as fast as ships
can be found to carry them and to
keep up this transport as long as
may be necessary. The machinery
of this government for preparing
men for the front Is now fairly per-
fected and can be put In motion on a
moments notice.
Status of Drive.
So far as the present German drive
is concerned, expert opinion In Wash
ington Is united in the belief that the
German command Is now forced Into
the position of attacking without def
mite objective other than to protect
the salients driven into tho allied
lines. While Amiens is undoubtedly
a point at which the German often
sIye has been aimed from the begin
ming. q study OF the weeks conflict
shows that the Germans apparently
did not know. when they began the
drive ten days ago. just where they
would be able to break through the
British lines. During the past few
0aYB Inc dlIdChb nave Dcth AAANAIoNANC
of "feelers" to find weak spots
through which the advance could be
further continued.
The result has been small gains
here and there but no concerted ad-
vance. The fact that the crown
princes army has gone farther than
the balance of the German line has
It is firmly believed. the main pur-
pose of a re-establishment OF that
dIgnitary in the good graces of the
German people as an army COM
mander. Until the present drive he
stood alone in the category OF being
the only defeated German general
For dynastic and other reasons this
has been an intolerable position for
the hereditary successor OF the pres
ent Kaiser. While the Kaiser him.