Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-12
ENEMY CHIEF
SAYSFRENCH
ARE WHIPPED
Hun War Head Tells Ger
man Reichstag Foch
Army Does Not Exist.

Amsterdam. June IA great
ssr, Of the French army has been
beaten General Won Stein, the
prussian minister, declared in a
speech To the Reichstag. according
r9 Berlin advICeS.
The so-called Foch reserve 10
'anger exists" the minister assert
sd
The success Of the crown prince
esrefully prepared attacks against
he French and British on the Che
rin-Des-Dames front on May p ir,-
ffcred one of the grayest defeats
he entente has suffered during the
eat.re war"
Boasts Of Booty Taken.
Besides his losses in men" con-
rnued General Won Stein, the en-
fmv suffered an enormous loss in
var materials. Immense stores o.
ammunition which were heaped UP
aIong the lines Of communication
behind the front of the defeated
French army. likewise fell into our
hands just as previously we cap
tured enormous stores from the
British
L. =. Army Small, He Says.
General Won Stein said that the
number and strength of the Amer
!cau troops up TO the present was
far below what reports spread by
TIE entente had led Germany TO eX-
pect
Amsterdam. June General
Won Stein said that American
troops had made their first appear
ance On the battle front, but only
Ht the moment when the German
advance had come TO a halt on the
Narne
They. too. like the French re-
serves" he declared. were thrown
into the battle in vain counter at
tacks and suffered the same fate"
Other American troops. the min
ister said, are on quiet sections of
the front.
Only Food for Germans.
Washington. June 12.-Announce
ment by the Prussian war minister
t0 the reichstag that the sO-Called
Foch reserve army no longer eX-
ists" is regarded by officials here
ss designed 10 encourage the Ger
nan populations.
Il Won Stein intended TO convey
the impression that the allied re
serve power had been exhausted
from the German assault. the actual
situation al the front stands as
fat contradiction. His words how
ever, might mean wholly different
thi1g, although designed TO be con-
zTued as the announcement OF a
great victory.
Before the German attack was
made, the supreme war council at
EersaiIles had worked out pro-
gram for limited pooling Of a mo-
BILE force Of some 500 900 men com
posed equally of French, British,
Americans and Italians. which was
to have been employed mainly to
support offensive operations.
Is No "FOch Reserve Army"
The organization Of this army was
never completed, however. the
emergency created by the German
offensive causing wholly new
pooling agreement under which
General Foch became supreme com
uander. No army now exists which
could be called the FOch reserve
army because as supreme com
nander that officer has under him
al Of the forces facing the Ger
mans.
The Prussian war minister. how /
ever, admittedly touches the heart F.
o. the problem facing General FOch. .
The fact that although under un-
eeasing attack since March q, the
allies and American forces have not +.
struck hack in anything approach F
-ng a major operation is regarded {
Is conclusive proof that the su-
Ffeme commander, backed by the /
supreme war council. is striving by /
every means in his power TO stem /!
NE German rush and exhaust its /
offensive power without depicting (
ELS own forces If he is successful, !
ana there is now every confidence .
ooth here and abroad that the bat /
ae Is half won, officers here believe J
ne can turn the tables on the enemy /
ultimately and use his reserves to +
Iush German ambition finally.
Pershing Forces Doubled.
General Pershings s army has been /
more than doubled since the Ger /
4'an drive began and there is rea- (
son 10 believe tnat il viii have been
a'pled or quadrupled before the .
maj phases Of the great battle be
gins. In addition Italian troops
sasFe been brought to the western
.Font without weakening the Ital-
isn line.
All Of these considerations
ssfomDt officers here 10 believe that
'sAeral Won Stein was attempting
: conceal rather than 10 disclose
u iaets IN his statement 10 the
'eichstag
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