Arizona republican., 1918-03-30
FOCH IS
 SUPREME
 GENERAL
TRepublican A. p. Leased Wire]

WASHINGTON, March 29.-Of- ficial information has reached Washington that General Foch, the French chief of staff, has been ap- pointed to supreme command of all the allied and An.orican forces m France.
 This means unification of all the armies opposing the Germans, a step which the American and French military men long have urqed and winch apparently has been brought about by recognition of the imperative demand for con centrated effort to hurl back the atlantic thrust of the enemy in France.
 PRESIDENT INFORMED
 1t was learned tonight that. the president had been officially ad- v:seu e the action when he sent a cabegram to General Fock to- day coneratulating him lon his new authority"
 There was no explanation at the White House of what the Presi- dent meant, 1t is understood that there will be no official comment here until after an announcement comes from France.
 The first hint of the historic de- vcIopment came in press cable dispatches telling how General Pershing had placed the American expeditionary forces at the disposal of the French commander. This was confirmed tonight in d mes sage from General Pershine to the war department.
 PERSHING'S MESSAGE
 General Pershine's message, made public by Major General March, acting chief of staff, fol- lows:
 Have made all our resources available and our divisions will be used if and when needed. French are in fine spirit and both armies seem confident"
 There was no mention in the Pershing dispatch of the new au- thority given General Foch and war department officials were speculat- ing over the reasons for the ab- sence of any official announce ment. Some still were inclined to believe that the French general had been placed in command only of the "army of maneuver," that reserve force composed of con tingents from all the allied armies created after the formation of the supreme war council.
 WILSON CONGRATULATES
 In his message to General Foch, President Wilson said:
 May not convey to you my sim cere congratulations on your. new authority? Such unity of command is most hopeful augury of ulti- mate success. We are following with profound interest the bold and bril- liant action of your forces"
 Before General Pershing's mes sage came tonight General March was without advice to confirm the press dispatches, because of the inevitable delays in transmission of official messages.
 MAY BE BAKERS IDEA
 The news of the appointment of General Foch, one of the heroes of the Marne, to supreme com mand, gave rise instantly to sug gestions that the presence of Sec retary Baker in Europe was con nected with the development Mr. Baker first visited France and con ferred at length with French off cials and with General Bliss, Amer ican chief of staff, attached to the supreme war council, and General Pershing. There followed a brief trip to London just as the great German drive was starting, after which the American war secretary hastened back to France.
 ENGLISH OPPOSITION
 Many observers now surmise that MT. Baker was sent to Eu- rope particularly to urge the CO ordination of all allied armies un- der single commander. Such is known to have been President Will sons desire when his urgency caused the creation of the supreme war council. Some measure of CO., ordination was secured through that body but any plan for ap- pointment of supreme comman- der with authority over all the d'fTicS, TFeHCfl, bTlllSH, Ildlldn n and American, met strong opposi- ton in England. The recent crisis which threatened the Lloyd George ministry arose from the extent to which the premier had gone in merging the British forces with those of British's allies. To queII the parliamentary disturbance the government found it necessary to announce that Field Marshal Haio remained in supreme command of the British army in France, and that only certain British forces had been contributed to the military pool sometimes described as the strategic reserve or the army of- maneuvre.
 BRITISH CABINET YIELDS
 Now it is assumed that the needs of the critical hour have won over the British cabinet to complete unification, making it possible te meet the Germans on the same plane of organization and central ized authority that have given the enemy advantage throughout tn. war.
 As to what is to be done with ths Aemricans in the emergency, wal
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