Bisbee daily review., 1918-03-20
Attempt to Pierce Enemy's Lines May Be Made From Italy; All Forces Under War Council Control.
CRy Review Leased wlrel

CBy Review Leased wire) WASHINGTON, March I9.-The key to the western battle front is in the hands o. the supreme war council at Versailles.
 Decisions as to the time and place of major offensives by the allies rests with that body. It directly controls also. officials here believe. new wea- pons forged during the winter with which to make effective its plan of grand strategy. That weapon is be- lieved to lie in a pooling of the army reserves of all the allied armies, per hitting overwhelming concentrations at selected points of attack
 American observers are convinced that the German high command plans q defensive campaign and that the long talked of drive on Paris CT the channel ports has been abandoned. The initiative according 10 this view. rests with the allied and American forces. COmmuniques are being close ly scanned for the first indication of any offensive operations mapped out at Versailles.
 To Cooperate Armies.
 The supreme council was created under the insistence of President Will son for aggressive action this year. based on cO-ordinated plans and under the direction of single agency. The exact scope of the councils authority never has been disclosed. It was said bo.h by Premier Lloyd George and by Lord Curzon, however. in explaining the status of the British imperial gen. erai staff and the commander in the field. Sir Douglas Haig. that certain British forces lad been assigned to the councils control.
 Decision by the, war council. Offi- cers here believe. as to the field where these and similar forces from other armies are to be concentrated will show where allied blows at the Ger man defenses are designed to fall. If there is to be no German drive. as the war department predicts. in its weekly war review. the council will no, be forced to hold its reserves for defensive purposes and can devote is new agency to attempts 10 smash weak points in the German line.
 May Start In Italy.
 Opinion as to the sectors offering the best opportunity for allied as- saults varies widely here. There is sutstential agreement, however. that the Italian front may in fact become the main theatre of war this year. Austro-German concentrations and pos sible offensives on that front, also noted by the weekly war summary. may represent the recognition Os this view by the German high command. In any event even though the supreme council might have decided 10 make the effort to break through in Italy. it is believed the first moves in the game would be played in France and Flanders. Drives with all the appear ances Of being the real Offensives would undoubtedly accompany or pre- cedH the main thrust.
 The pooled allied reserves under direction of the supreme council would make possible a campaign Of such nature. designed to keep tho German command perplexed as to hicA assault would be driven home. In that position. adequate German forces of selected troops necessarily would be held ready to support either line and they must be held somewhere in Germany with ready transportation available in either direction.
 Council In Command.
 The theory of pooled general re- serves under command of the supreme war council has already appeared in the British press to some extent as the explanation of what has been said in parliament
 The practical question of how such a grand reserve may be handled ap- r calls to army officers as the most in- teresting question of the day. Mobil- ization of a new interallied army Of sttaek does not seem feasible. it is said, It is pointed out. however. that the report of Sir Douglas Haig on operations in 1917 shows that his scheme of operations WIS upset to some extent when he was compelled 10 take over an additional section of the French front freeing large French army for participation in the French Offensives of that year
 This suggests that similar prac- tice might be adopted for obtaining an army for an attack on any front.
 If the assaults were to be made In Flanders. the French reserves could take over trenches now held by the British. except on the sector Of opera tions. British troops thus released would be available for purposes of at tack. If additional reserves were ne cessary. General Pershing might ex- pand his front og the right flank, where he is now gradually taking over the American sector.
 It is conceivable to army officers hat the armies sent to support Italy In her time of peril are included in he forces now under direction of the war council. Certainly. it is pointed out. they are not in a position To be supervised by Generals Haig and Petain.