The Washington herald., 1918-03-28
Will Throw u. S. Troops
Against Hun Lines Soon
Pershing Likely to Be Called on to Hurl
Several Divisions Against Foe Within
Month, Army Officers Think.

facts to go on. and 1t is not easy
to draw conclusions from those
facts. 1t would appear. however
that the British have acted upon a
carefully prearranged plan. 1t is
not easy to account for the loss OF
900 or more guns, IL we accept the
belief that the allies were prepared
to give ground. But the day Of saw
ing the guns has given place to
the theory Of attrition-
The British, according to some
of the best-informed of our military
men, fought the battle with the sole
idea. of killing Germans. They
worked their guns to the very last
and then made hasty retreats. We
have no evidence that the German
have taken as many prisoners as
they might we'll be expected to in
a battle over the wide territory
covered by this engagement. II
would appear that the British have
retreated in good spirit and have
not been severely punished. In
other words, they are ready for
counter attack, or. better still, con-
tinued action along the line north
Of Albert Z -
In1S "Oulu NlO SiiiANih6 ,
of German forces to the south end
of the line of battle and would per-
NIT OF a strong drive by the French
from a point not far from Noyon,
We believe that the Germans have
about forty divisions in reserve,
This would give the Americans q
chance to help and to show what
their training here and abroad has
done for them; in fact, 1t would give
them an opportunity for just the
style OF fighting for which they are
best equipped. 1t would be possi-
BILE. no doubt, to send several divi-
sions into such drive"
Officers who have studied carefully
the ground along the Champagne sec
tor state that the allies must be on
, their guard against a new drive on
this point by the Germans. They hold
to the theory that the German leaders
have known from the outset of their
attack that they could not hope to
carry their offensive more than
twenty miles. and that the supreme
effort of the German arms Is yet to
come 40
A leader of the group won to this
belief said. THE Junker party OF
Germany has. for the moment, won the
enthusiastic support Of the German
people. This support is based upon
promises of great military achieve
ment. Failure of the German mill
! tarists to win far more than they
have to date will seriously weaken
the position Of the Prussian leaders
"You may rest assured. that Hin
| denburg knew we'll that his wedge
drive could not route the allied forces
He knows that victory and peace 1,
out of the question as long as the
British. American and French forces
have ground upon which to fight. He
must destroy a large part of the
allied forces and annex much French
! territory. Hindenburg's forces are al
the apex of their power. 1t is now
or never. 1t is ligical to believe that
he plans to exert great pressure
| against the British force to the north
thus preventing the movement oi
guns and supplies to the French enc
Of the line. Successful in that stroke
he could then launch his main blow
| against the line somewhere south oi
Rheims. The Champagne valley Of
| fers fair mark, as 1t is not the arm,
ed and fortified camp that Flander,
4 Ao- IL 10 pObSADlS lIldL ne
strike through Switzerland, although
that is, of course, mere conjecture.
The French soldier today Is moi
the open field fighter that his fellow
of the opening year Of the war was
The new men who are In the firms
line for the French have not had tht
training Of the old men. They know
trench warfare. but It is by no mean,
certainty that the Germans would
find them easier than the British tC
push back.
| Certainly a drive In this section
would bring a good share of the Amer.
| leans into hard fighting. They would
be called upon to aid the French
arms in preserving South France
Should the Germans overrun thi:
part Of France. 1t is conceivable that
they would then be In a position tc
begin an encircling movement calcu.
lated to drive the allies into the
Atlantic.
'"As far as our reports show, there
Is no danger that Paris will be taken
Nor Is there any ground for thinking
that the channel ports are endanger.
ed. Realizing that the Junker party
Of Germany Is probably making its
last stand. we must expect that the
German military leaders will not as.
sumo the defensive without attempt