The sun., 1918-10-20
Gen. March Says Bulwarks OF
Western Line All Have
Been Taken.
FORCES WIDE RETREAT
Improved System Of Casualty
Reports Will Obviate Errors
of Identification.
Special DespatcA TO TIE suS.

Of the enemy's defensive system on the
western front are now In the hands OF
the allied and American forces Gen.
March. chief OF staff. announced to-day.
In his talk with the newspaper corre-
spondents Gen. March showed that the
Allies are reported to have reached the
frontier OF Holland north of Bruges
and that Ostend. Zeebrugge. Bruges.
Lille, Tourcoing. Roubaix. Douai and
Laon have been recovered. The enemy's
retreat has extended SO that It now af-
fects all but fifteen miles Of the line
from the coast to the Mouse. front or
more than $50 miles.
while our Firat Army" sold Gen.
March, SIS fighting its way across the
Kriemhilde line on the wooded hills be-
tween the Argonne and the Mouse In
spite OF strong concentration of enemy
divisions. the enemy has retreated rap
idly from the st. Gobain highland. the
Chemin des Danes and the Champagne
az far as the Hunding line. relinquishing
500 square miles in that sector In four
days. This developed sharp salient
In his line southeast OF St. Quentin at
the fork Of the Disc and Serre rivers.
Forced Retreat From Atsne.
Renewed attacks by British. Ameri-
can and French forces south Of lie
Cateau on Thursday forced the enemy
back from his positions on the east bank
Of the Selle. making the Oise-Serre
salient longer and narrower so that the
enemy gave up all attempts to hold 1t
and retired toward the northeast.
From lie Cateau northward the Brit
ish have reacted but have not yet at
tempted to cross the German defence
line, which there follows the east bank
OF the Selle River up to the Sensee
marshes.
The drive IN Flanders. renewed with
vigor by Belgian. French and British
troops on Monday, spread radially to-
ward Bruges, Client and Tourcoing at an
increasingly rapid rate and forced the
enemy to evacuate Ostend and Zeebrugge
and to draw back from the dangerous
salient around Lille and Douai. This
retirement is still in active progress.
British troops are reported to have
reached the frontier OF Holland opposite
Bruges.
Tho retirement of the enemy from
the Oise near La Fere leaves the entire
Hindenburg line In our hands. During
the week the Allies have retaken Ostend,
Zeebrugge. Bruges. Lille, Tourco!ng,
Roubaix. Douai and Laon.
"In the east the Serbiane since the
reoccupation Of Nish have advanced In
both directions along the Constaptinople
railway and now hold II for a distance
Of aboNS eeventy-fve miles. They are
advancing northward toward Belgrade.
The War Department and the press
have been the recipients OF very many
questions about the casualties on the
Otraneo. The troops on the Otranto
were not parts Of divisions or brigades
but were replacement troops and cas-
uals. When the ship sank all papers
xx,tN L. - H.
went down with the ship. When that
fact was developed the War Department
cabled abroad the name OF every single
person who embarked on the ship and
with that Information in their possess
sion they can then find out who are not
accounted for. The authorities In the
American Expeditionary Forces have
been directed to cable back the name OF
every such man and It will be given I'd,
as soon as It comes in.
Casualty Reports Improved.
with reference to the subject of the
publication OF casuLlLeJ generally !
have at times told you =. what We are
trying to do to procure an exact state
ment of casualties so as to put II into
the hands Of the American people. This
scheme has now reached a point where
we have a system which We believe will
make o>rtain that every single man hit
in France, slight or otherwise. win he
reported and the parents, relatives and
friends notified.
The War Department desires the peo-
pie TO know exactly the steps taken by
II to acquaint them with the facts and
details concerning casualties in our
forces abroad.
mo casualty lists are kept back-all
are transmitted and published as fast
as communication facilities permit
Anxiety caused by delays and inaccur-
acieS which formerly existed should be
dispelled by the present arrangements
for the receipt and publication OF cas-
ualty lists and the system OF follow up
letters recently instituted by direction
Of the Chief OF Stan.
The salient features of the present
arrangement are. first. the receipt by
cable and prompt publication OF the
names OF the dead and missing second,
the receipt by courier letter and prompt
publication OF all other casualties. In
GLIDING cases OF serious illness and gas
casualty
The Adjutant Generals Office is now
able to give the nature and degree of
the wound or injury and other details
not heretofore obtainable. At once upon
receipt OF the Information notices are
sent by the Adjutant Generals ONCE, fol-
lowed by letters giving further inforrna-
ton as soon as hospital records are re-
ceived and In many cases additional let
tiers from the Bureau OF Communication
OF the Red Cross giving the more init
mate details dictated by the men them
selves c. written by the Red Cross Gag
ualty searchers.
Tho War Department. however, as
sumes In every case the responsibility
for the direct and immediate notification
or relatives In carrying on its part
or the work the Red Cross has full
access to the War Department records
and Is furnished with copies OF the hos
pital reports. This enables the Red
Cross TO check up the information re-
ceived by It with the official verified
record OF the Department and 1t 10 be-
ieved will prevent erroneous identihca-
lions and other errors which might cause
needless distress.
THE tremendous size OF the army
abroad, it's distance from its base, tho
length and completely of its lines of
communications. the distribution Of its
units over wide front and the fact
that certain of its units from time to
time serve with the French, British anu
italian forces make the task OF collect
ing and verifying information as to
casualties one OF great difficulty and
often interpose considerable delay, but
those responsible for it's distribution here
realize the importance OF their task and
OF doing everything that IL possible to
prevent delay, error or unnecessary
anxiety or doubt.
"The welcome cooperation OF the Red