Evening star., 1918-09-14
YANKS' next MOVE
ST|RS SPECULATION
Officials Here Also Interested
in Amount of Booty
Captured.
U. S. SPEED SURPRISING

with the st. Mihiel salient wiped
out by Gen. Pershing's Army. interest
of onicials here was divided between
the next probable move by tho Amsri-
can forces and the amount of booty
that had fallen to them in the short
time required for the Accomplishment
Of the first task assigned them as an
Independent operating Army.
Latest reports from the front did
not make it clear whether the Amer
leans and the supporting French
forces had halted on line running in
the shape Of bow from Fresnes to
the Moselle river at Pagny, where the
German border WAS In sight, or still
were pursuing the enemy. From the
knowledge Of the nature Of the ter.
rain. most Observers were inclined to
the belief that any German defensive
position must have been closer to the
border, as 1t was there only that nat
ura1 defense ground was located.
Commanders on Ground.
The importance attached to this op-
GRAFTON was emphasized not alorle by the
fact t1Iat Gen. PsfShing himself com.
manded the Americans. but that Gen.
also was on the ground.
The speed with which the Americans
from the south and those advancing
from the west made junction some
twelve miles northeast Of st. Mihiel was
surprising in view Of the fact that no
ha An.
posed them. That many divisions were
Identified by the prisoners taken, which
Gen. Pershing reported last night mum.
bered 1880.
Only Entering Wedge.
Complete elimination Of the St. 1ffhiei
salient by Gen. Pershing's army and CO.
operating French forces, many Army
officials here believe. is only the enter
Ing wedge Of operations Of far larger
scope.
The strategic Importance Of Cen.
Pershing's smashing victory cannot BE-
overestimated, in the opinion of Army
observers. 1t is out Of all proportion
to the extent of the territory regatned
or the forces employed, 1t is said, fof
OF the French citadel Of Verdun has
released the French armies from that
point to Rheims for active offensive
operations. 1t also has liberated the
railway line from Verduh to Commercy,
Toul and Nancy, which will be OF the
utmost value to Gen. Pershing and to
the French armies on his left in sup
porting future operations along this
front.
It was the loss Of this railroad, sever
ed by the Germans in 1914 with the cap
ture of St. Mihiel, which placed the
fNrfro in af NJ
brought. on the battle Of Verdun, where
the Germans met a bitter and costly de-
feat at the hands of the French. Ever
since then the German grip on the
heights around verdun has held the
French in this region and to the east
fensive operations.
The numerical strength of the
French army was not sufficient to
permit an effort to drive the snemy
off without weakening the lines else
where.
Gen. Pershing now has sfgnalized
the entry Of the American Army into
the war by slashing 1t in less than
two days OF fighting.
German Line Far Back.
As the lines we're reported last
night, there was nothing to indicate
that the American advance had stop
ped. The German official statement
was that q new line had been pre-.
pared, but the nature Of the country
where the American troops stood late
today Indicated that the German de-
Tense position must be farther back
toward Metz, where better natural
obstacles are available. 1t was e1A
pected here that American patrols
would push forward to feel out this
oH r1n q
taken.
The German statement that the sa-
lient had been evacuated without sert.
GUS Interference caused much
amusement among officers in view 9f
the number of prisoners captured. IL
ions of the enemy were in the salient.
including those standing guard at It's
tanks. Probably not more than four
divisions have at any time been In
the depth Of the pocket. Ana OF these
more than ene.foufth have been esp.
tured. OfRoers say that 3 retreat ef-
fected at such q cost hardly can be
considered az q successful ev4euat1on
ana they are inclined to accept the
German statement as promulgated Ter
home consumption. It was said that
for the high command to acknowledge
ted out in less than two days . salient
that had been held for four years and
also cost tne Germans more than a.
GOO prisoners in addition to their dead
might further asitate the German
civil population.
At the same time. It is not doubted
that the German leaders expected the
stroke ana made such preparation as
they could toward getting their main
forces out of the salient The swift
ness Of the American advance ON the
ranks. however seems to have upset
their p1ans. And It 10 believed here
that the figures on war material cap.
tured will bear out this view.