Evening star., 1918-06-05
AMERICAN TROOPS
TOHAVE B|GPART
Heavy Participation in All
Serious Future Fighting
Now Expected.
NOT ON CONTINUOUS LINE

From now on there is likely to be
no serious fighting on the western
front without the active, and prob
ably heavy. participation of American
troops.
Army officers here say this is ap-
parent from recent dispatches and va
rious official statements Of the allies
mentioning the Yankees work and
assignments in the fighting zone.
The fact that the Americans have
not taken over a large segment does
not mean that their participation will
be delayed. Rather 1t is probable that
the present arrangement will draw
Americans more quickly and in larger
numbers into any fighting that is 60
ing on.
1t was pointed out by Army officers
that to establish the Americans on a
continuous line might result in plac-
ing them in quiet sector where they
would have to remain even il there
were vigorous fighting at some other
point.
Already Hold Large Front.
Already the Americans hold a
larger front in France. it is believed
here. than any allied force, including
Belgian and Italian. excepting alone
the British and French The fact
that this line is not continuous only
makes it more likely that some Amer
leans will be in the thick of the
fray when the German lightning
strikes again.
1t seems to be Gen. Foch's policy
tn abandon ho nf
unified command. the old policy of
permitting one nations forces to hold
alone long sections of the line. He
has adopted the practice of mixing
up divisions. irrespective of ma
tionality. and this practice was ex-
emplified in taking out British troops
which had been under heavy fire and
placing them in quiet sectors, where
there is opportunity to recuperate.
and replacing them with French
was followed after French troops had
been under heavy pressure.
It Is not believed. therefore. that
the Americans will be given one long
section of the front so long as the
heavy fighting lasts. which is expected
to be all the summer. Instead Amer
leans will be put in here and there
along the line, and others will be held
in readiness to be thrown in when
emergency requires.
To Give More Details.
Under discussion at the War De-
partment today was a plan to give
more details about the operations of
American fighting units. It became
known that a cablegram from Gen.
Pershing mentioned names Of Amer
lean officers and men who distin-
guished themselves at Cantigny. This
Communication contained no ,injunc-
tion from Gen. Pershing against Civ
ing 1t out, but some officials hesi-
tated because they believed that If he
meant to have 1t published he would
have given 1t out in France to the
American correspondents there.
Other officers believe that the posi-
tions of American troops now are well
known to the Germans and the oc-
casion for secrecy about their loca-
tion has passed after an engagement
is over and prisoners have been cap
tured. Therefore, they argue that
the officers and men who are distin-
gushing themselves in France should
be rewarded by mention at home,
and they believe that fuller publicity
for these details would be a factor
in inspiring the American people to
greater sacrifices in behalf of their
troops.
Honors Not Equitably Given.
Through this strict censorship, it
has been pointed out, some honors
have gone where they were not due,
and other men who have performed
gallant deeds have not been mem
toned. One case cited was that of
the railroad engineers" who per-
formed SO valiantly during the first
German drive toward Amiens. Only.
as it has developed many of these
were not railroad engineers" but
trained Army engineers, who had
been at Washington barracks here,
and their bravery and efficacy, as yet
untold. form a fine chapter in the his
tory Of American participation.