The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-17

companions tackled thirty German
airplanes.
German Plano Captured.
by Frank J. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES
IN FRANCE, Aug. 17.-Captain
Biddle of Philadelphia, forced down
German Rumpler plane at Nancy yes
terday. The pilot was killed and the
observer wounded, but the machine
was captured intact
Biddle received a personal letter
from General Pershing two months
ago when he was shot down and land
ed in No Mans Land, where he re-
manned more than day and escaped
under shell fire.
American bombing planes again at
tackled the railway yards at Dom
y-Baroncour, near Metz Several
tracks were observed to have been
| destroyed
Severity of Fighting.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17.-Because
of the severity OF the fighting In
which American troops have been
engaged on the western front. q num-
uSI VI Ul6u OLlCSiSs luSlkS4&AS AAAnJoA
generals are being returned home for
rest, Chief of Staff March declared
today in his conference with cores
pondents.
Among those singled out for bril-
liant work was Major General Dun
can, who was the first officer TO re-
ceive the French croix de guerre.
Warning that heavy casualties are to
be expected from the fighting was
given when March declared that the
10th regiment of the Twenty-eighth
division containing many Pittsburgh
men, had been in extremely heavy
| fighting for over two weeks, and that
casualties would be commensurate
with the fighting. The general fight
| ing has become largely local within
| the last few days. March said. The
Germans have been retreating gradu-
ally and consolidating their lines
along the 1916-1917 front, and there
has been little material change in the
situation
Resistance by the Germans has
been stronger and allied attacks are
more or less isolated.
General March pointed out that for
the fourth time in the present often
sive, the Germans have voluntarily
given up lines, the last instance being
a small sector near Albert which
sector was evacuated voluntarily by
the Germans and taken possession of
by the British.
March said that the 1,45o,000 Amer
leans which have left this country to
fight, included those to France,
Siberia, Italy and Russia proper.
In the future all figures Of Ameri-
can expeditionary forces will include
those sent to all parts of the world,
March stated.
High praise OF American valor in
action has been given by French COM
manders, March said. The second
artillery brigade which is part of
the second division which operated at
| Chateau-Thierry received the praise
of the French.
! In the days of severe fighting which
these troops experienced, their quail
ties of energy, ability and devotion
won high respect of their French
comrades, March said.
| General March announced that Ad-
/ jutant General II. t. Mccain. In
recognition of his efficient work on
this side would be placed in command
of the Eleventh division at Camp
Devons, Mass. He Will be succeeded
by Brig. Gen. Peter Harris who will
be acting adjutant general. Harris
has shown great efficiency in hand
ling the muster rolls. March said.
The eightieth division is now in
training with the British in Flanders
and the eighty-second division is
holding a part of the line north of
Toul.
4 The 320th field artillery has not yet
been engaged in action. American
troops in Italy have not been put into
the fighting.
Reports that American prisoners in
Germany have been singled out for
bad treatment were denied by Field
Marshal March, who said that after
careful investigation through Spanish
representatives, American prisoners
had been found to be treated the