Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-21
SMASH BY HAIG FORCES ON
10 MILE FRONT NETSAGAIN
OF THREE MILESAT OUTSET
FOCh Cuts SO
Miles Off of
Battle Front

Washington, Aug. 21.-As a re-
suit of the allied successes during
the past month the battle front in
France from Reims to the North
sea has been reduced in length
more than so miles, General March
told the newspapermen today in
his mid-week conference.
When the Germans began their
last advance the line stretched for
$50 miles. 1t is now less than 200
miles.
General March enumerated 80
American divisions as having ar
rived in France. They are as fol-
lows:
First, second. third, fourth, fifth,
sixth, 26th, 9th, 28th, goth, 3Oth,
32nd, 33rd, 35th, 36th, 37th, 4lst,
42nd, 18th, 77th, 18th, 18th, SOth,
81st, SIND, S3rd, S5th, seth, Goth,
91st. 92nd and 93rd.
The success of the enlarged
American program of the war de-
partment, General March said, still
is dependent upon the acquisition
of adequate shipping, and while the
stantly swelling the tonnage at the
army's disposal, it is still neces-
sary to charter and hire many ad-
ditional ships. General March di-
vulged for the first time the fact
that Brazil had given a ship to the
United States without compensa-
ton of any sort for two trips. He
said that so far as he knew this
was the only case of the kind on
record.
General March corrected a report
that the nth division troops OF
New York City and vicinity was
being sent to Italy. 1t was last re-
ported, he said, in the Vosges. In
answer to questions, the chief of
staff said that the seth national
guard and goth national army divis-
ions, including many Texans, reach
ed France between July 30 and
Aug. 13 and have been in training.
The Goth has not yet reached the
front line. The Goth national guard
division New England), which
participated in numerous attacks
near Chateau Thierry and which
aided in the capture of Torcy and
BeIIieu. was relieved from its po-
sition on the Marine front on July
% and is now back of the lines for
recuperation.
Unadyised on New Drive.
Lacking official details OF the
British drive reported in Associated
Press dispatches this morning, Gen
eral March declined to comment on
this new thrust. He said, describ-
ing the period that had elapsed
since his last talk that the allies
had continued their attacks on lin
tied fronts and at widely separated
points.
In Flanders, he pointed out, the
points OF the salient which had eX-
listed there have been bent in by al
lied attacks southeast Of MeteTen
on the north flank and near Mer-
Vile, on the south side. The apex
was thus made unhealthy" for the
enemy and he was forced to with
draw for from one to two miles on
4 14-mile front.
On the plains near the Disc the
allied advance has put the line well
back of the old 1916-19l7 line.
General March said the war de-
partment had not yet received de-
tails of the capture Of F'rapelle, in
the Vosges by the Fifth United
States division (regulars). The
line at this point is four miles over
the German border. Answering
further questions regarding indi-
vidual divisions, General March said
the Seventy-sixth division (New
England and New York National
army now is serving as a depot di-
vision and is stationed in a back
area. The Eightieth division
pennsylvania and Virginia Nation
al army is serving with the Brit
ish in Flanders.