Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-08-15
AMERICANS MAY START b|G OR|Vf AGAINST GERMANS U. s. Officials Anticipate Offensive By Newly Gre
 ated Army. MAY STRIKE ON
 SOUTHERN FRONT Yankees May Be Use dt0 Start In. vaSim0 of German Terri.
 tory Through AlSace-
 Lorraine.

Washington, Aug. 14.-A new drive against the German positions either in Flanders or between the Disc and Soissons is expected by many army officers here as result of the slowing up of the advance in the Picardy theater.
 H lOutlining the situation at his mid-week conference today General March, chief of staff, confined his statements to pointing out that the Germans have now been forced back until they are not within 50 miles of Paris at any point. The head of the army had previously laid stress on the fact, however, that the greatest advantage won by Marshal Foch in a military way is in having wrested the initiative from the enemy.
 Expect Noyon to Fall.
 The opinion prevailed among other officers that the present struggle around Rove and Lassigny would soon terminate in the capture of those points, tc be followed by the taking of Noyon. They agree with the com IutIlclOIS dDIOdu CIldO tIl DIE iS lil- dicate that the enemy intends to withdr>w and is fighting fierce rear guard actions only to cover his re- tirement and to permit him to pre- pare strong lines in his rear on which to stand fast.
 In the course of his discussion General March said that General Pershing now has 1,250,OOO Ameri- can troops organized into the first army corps. Preumably the Ameri- cans on the British left flank in Pic ardy indentified by the chic fof staff as the 131st infantry, of the 33rd Qllinois national guard) divisions, are among these still brigaded for training.
 All American Attack Near.
 It appeared possible to some off cers that the organization of the first American army might be follow ed bv an all-American attack at some point on the line which it holds, be- yond Verdun, where there has been no recent fighting. No reports, official or unofficial, have been received, how ever, throwing any light on General Pershing's plans for the part assign ed to him by Marshal Foch in the present offensive campaign.
 The primary purpose of the two blows Marshal Foch has struck has been realized. Both in the Aisne- Marne battle and again in Uicardy, the attacks were defensive measures to free Paris from the menace of the two wedges the enemy had driven in taht direction. The value of the drives in this respect was pointed out by General March today.
 Officers here, therefore anticipate a complete change in the character of the fighting in the next phase of the battle with Foch's armies assuming the offensive in the fullest sense of the word and striking to force the enemy back in such manner that he cannot avail himself of his old Hin denburg line defenses.
 Flanders Front May Blaze.
 It appears very probable to some observers that the Flanders front might see the next blaze kindled with a double drive by British forces to pinch out thevsalient there as it has been pinched out at the Marne and again in Picardy. They forces, also, however, the imitation of movements of far greater scope in the near fu- ture, aimed at flanking the Germans out of the blunt wedge into which the Picardy and Aisne battle fronts have been merged by recent actions.