Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-17
Such Is Opinion of Secre-
tary Baker Expressed at
Cabinet Meeting.
AWAIT OFFICIAL REPORTS
TO DETERMINE RESULTS
Advance Statements, However,
Lead to Belief Situation
Is Satisfactory.
PRAISES WORK or SOLDIERS
HIVE Given Proof OF Their Spirit and
Nalor Before, and Again III
Present Drive.

WAsHINGToN. July l6-Thc next
Twelve hours--or between midnight to-
nigh, and noon morrow--will Wit
ness tho crisis Of this latest ot German
efforts to break through OH tho western
front.
This is the view OF the Secretary OF
war, as impaired by him this after
noon a; the cabinet meeting.
Developments during this fateful
rcrod. he subsequently, declared 10 the
newspaper. CORES pondcnts will in tho
opinion Of his military advisers. prob
ably determine whether tho enemy
purpose has been defeated. Secretary
Baker urged caution against ovcrop-
tmisn and advised the newspaper men
not 20 lift too high the public hope
until the later reports from the front
have arrived He said.
1T viii require tho reports of to-
night and UP 10 noon Tomorrow to-
justify statement as to whether the
results so far have been dctcrminative.
That Is TO say. they will probably enable
us 10 tell whether the first thrust Of
the enemy has or has not succeeded. md
likewise whether his real objective lay
n the direction OF his drive Of yester-
day and to-day.
1T Is matter OF discussion whether
this present effort Is the great offensive
which the German general STAFF had in
mind In order that the public may
know as SOON possible the answers
10 these great questions. have asked
General March TO make a statement to-
morrow afternoon on the basis of re-
ports received UP 10 tina, time and
twice every week thereafter until the
present drive % an
While there has been some pcnetra-
'ion here and there along the line
and though the enemy has had some
partial success. VIC nevertheless believe
that the whole situation may be re.
sardSd as very satisfactory"
Speaking OF tho showing of the
American troops thus far in what he
described the greatest battle in
which they have been engaged" the
secretary continued:
The American troops have given
proof of their spirit and valor in their
previous contact with the enemy
notably at Cantigny and Seicheprcv.
Tho conduct of our troops in the pres
ent occasion might he characterized as
one OF unsurpassed valor."
AMERICANS UNDER
THEIR own OFFICERS
The secretary Indicated that while
many OF the American forces engaged
IN the present action "A, various points
along the line were brigaded with me
French they were under command of
their own captains. coloncls and brig
adler general. The words of nraisc
;hoE received. he intimated came from
ine!r Immediate corps commanders
IL was wonderful day in Washing
gr.r hA
bounding over the wires Never. did i,
seem had the sun shone so brightly.
ana the American hags on the great
buildings flashed more gaylv in mo
"azzlinS light. At the White House the
President, disregarding utterly the
prescribed daily exercise on the golf
Inks read closely and eagerly ,be
press and official cables that were se,t
20 him. That the official dispa,ches
cioseiy paraileled the press news WAS
indicated by the following statcmen,
issued from the War Department, sho,,.
noon:
Dispatches received from General,
Fershlng and General Bliss confirm the
press accounts of yesterdays 6eh,inr
American troops west OF Surmo,ian
counterattacked. captured prisonnrs
established and holding their ,d.
vanced positions Germany's harrae.
was met by counterbarraEe. which IL
many places prevented the advance n.
their infantry.
Full reports covering the entire
front arc. OF course. not yet available
The general situation this morning is
regarded as satisfactory
The first day In such q battle is
OF course. merely general and advance
guard action. The great pressure OF
reserves and concentrated masses is
still 20 be looked for"
Just before the Cabinet met N.ior
Mccain. custodian OF the war mans
in the Cabinet room. hurried to tho
White House with the latest inform,-
Zion the War Department had received
And. with these before him, carefulfv
marked out on the mounted charts
with pins and colo-ed threads the
changes in the line east and west of
Rheims. 1t was over these mans tb.t
the Cabinet pored, grouped about tho
President.
ENTENTE WAR EXPERTS
SAY 1T IS MAJOR DRIVE
There was little repression Of en-.
thusiasm around the entente embassies
The situation was described without
reservation as being entirely satisfac-
tory. Reports received by the military
attaches and members of the allied
var missions agreed that the enemy
has thus far used in the battle thir-
ty-five divisions. Or approximately one
third Of its forces available for an
offensive. the total enemy strength be-
CONTINUED ON Seventh Page.)