The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-09-06
FOch Believed to Be Planning
New Blow Upon the Retir-
ing Enemy.
COMMENT AT WASHINGTON
If Germans Attempt Wholesale
Retreat FOch Might Decide
Upon Stroke on Account of
Confusion.


stan. that more than 100000
troops had been embarked for all
fronts up to August 81, furnished a
new measure of the forces Marshal
Foch has at his disposal with which
to follow up the victories already
won on the western front.
Included in the American ship
ments are men sent to Italy and ST.
IBERIA. the arrival of Major Graves,
American commander, at Vladivos-
tok. with nearly 1,4OO men of the
forces dispatched direct from the
United States having been announc-
ed by General March The total
number Of men sent elsewhere than
to France, however. is less than TO-
| coo, leaving more than 100000
American troops available for the use
of the supreme commander in the
great battle
The size Of the American force be-
comes increasingly important as the
scope OF the new British assault at
the very center Of the German line
on the Douai-Cambrai front becomes
apparent.
Foch Has Ample Reserves.
| In the opinion Of army officials
here. the breakdown OF the German
defense lines on this front may
prove the entering wedge for allied
successes Of a sweeping nature since
the fact that General Pershing's ar
my has not yet been largely employ
ed is proof that Marshal Foch has
ample reserves with which to press
his advantage.
| In his midweek conference with
newspaper correspondents General
March reviewed briefly the battle sit
uation OF the last three or four days,
noting particularly that the British
in the most Impressive phase Of the
battle. east of Arras, had smashed
their way across the Hindenburg line
on an eight mile front with Cambria
as their objective. The major enemy
resistance along the whole 60 mile
battle front from the Scarpe to the
Oise, he said, had been encountered
and overcome by the British and the
swift advance of the French troops
last week, when they gained five OF
six miles on a 25-mile front in 6
single day. was due largely to with
drawal forced upon the enemy in the
north
Rapid:ty of Ally Advance.
General March pointed out also as
indicating the rapidity with which
the battle is shifting under the
steady drive of the allied armies
that the British had pressed ahead
IA miles since they launched their
attack on August 21.
Even as General March talked.
word came from the battle front
stating that the enemy had been
hurled still further back along the
Douai-Cambrai line, and indicating
the British stood within five miles
of the Cambrai pivot to this German
defense position. Later reports both
from Flanders and on the Vesle, far
to the south. indicated that new re-
tirements were in progress in Nesh
places, due to the combination OF the
British thrust in the center and Gen.
eral Mangin's fianking movement to-
ward the Chemin Des Danes. The
advance Of Franco-American forces
across the Vesle indicates that the
German line at this end OF the bat
tie front Is being forced back toward
the Aisne by the pressure from the
flank.
In all the dispatches from abroad
officers here noted again vieIed in
dications that some new and impor-
tant phase OF the battle ;s to be ex-
pected shortly. There was an air of
expectancy among both unofficial and
semi-ofiicial Commentators which pro.
duced the impression that Marshal
Foch is preparing for a new blow.
III this is the case, Il is believed here
that the employment OF General Per-
shing's army may yeil Ce included
Ia the plans. the oo5sSf being to hit
,sxh full force OF the--merican and
,e ths- y>Aw thsf ~ (