South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-28
j. 6. SPEEDS UP
PLANS To GET.
MORE MEN OVER
Several Divisions Now in u. S.
Are Fully Trained to Enter
Battle Immediately on
Reaching France.
international News Service


WASHINGTON. March 2S.-Pre-
mier LLOYD Georges appeal for tfe
getting o. American reinforce
ments across the Atlantic in the
shortest possible space of time"
presented through Lord Reading in
New York last night will be re-
sponded TO That was very plain in
official circles today Every military
agency of the government is being
speeded up Red tape is being cut at
every possible point. Under the di-
rect direction of the president, all
of the war agencies are hurrying
their work The result will be mani
fest very soon.
Many Ready for Fighting.
While il is impossible TO make any
statement of troop movements. army
officers declare there are many divi-
sions scattered through the United
States that are ready TO be put in
to action the minute they set foot in
France. Included in this number are
certain regular army units, fed
eralized national guardsmen and
even the rev national army. As a
matter of fact there are a number
of divisions of the national army
which right now are daily indulging
| in the most advanced battle practice
under the direction of French and
British army officers. These troops
are fit and with new transports be
| ing secured should be in France
within a reasonable time.
News is Satisfactory.
News from the battle front in
/ Picardy today continued satisfac-
tory. The British lines were holding
and the French were taking an IT.
creased part in the fighting. The
/ reserve forces are being moved in
10 line at many points and the loof-
ed for counter offensive is ready %
| be pushed at any time the supreme
war council decides H. the opportune
moment. At many points the British
and French have been feeling ont
the weight of the German strength
and it is very plain that they are
seeking the weakest spot on the line
for their attack.
The German attacks now are cen
tering in the south. 1t IS plain that
they are disappointed over their
! failure 10 make a real breach BE-
tween the British and the French
and that Won Ludendorff, who IS re-
| sponsible for the battle plans. is
ready TO make further sacrifices II
human life in the endeavor to gain
his point. That he viii fail seems in
| dicated by the confident declaration
of the French executive They point
out. and they cite facts and figures
/ TO support their position. that the
German assault already has failed
because il was unable TO reach its
objective before the French rein
forcements from the south were
brought up.
Germans DisOrganized.
The Germans as a result of terri
/ BILE losses which they sustained.
were compelled to throw their re-
serves into the fight much faster
than they had planned. The result
is that today practically their en-
tire force available for action in
the north have been engaged and
are disorganized because OF their
heavy losses.
Outstanding today officials say. Is
the fact that trench warfare has
definitely passed All along the lines
in the north there will be increase
open fighting. il is believed here. u
this the Germans will have little
advantage despite the fact that they
have trained their men along that
line The British armies in France
have been trained n trench warfare
and trench defense, but those which
were held in England and are nov.
replacing the tired veterans an
along the front lines. have been
given thorough instruction I'm open
hghting.
The French and American troops
also have been educated in this wa
As a matter OF fact Gen Pershina
is one Of the strongest advocates a.
open hghting that there = i'm the
United States army. and he is an ex-
pert in every phase Of that work.