Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-09-08
Concentration of American
Troops in Sectors by Them
selves Moving Swiftly Says
March in Review,
GERMANY'S MAN SUPPLY
BEGINNING TO RUN LOW
Class of 1919 Rapidly DiSap-
pearing and Those of the
1920 Class Must Be Drawn
Upon to Fill Gaps.

teY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL lEAsrp wtRsl
\ Washington, Sept. 7-Concentra-
ton of American troops in the Ameri-
/ can sectors in France is proceeding
\ rapidly and General Pershing now
1 Eas under his direct command more
/ than ninety per cent of the troops
I VINO have reached the other side. This
was revealed today by General March.
/ chief of staff
! General March made no comment
| as to the purpose of this concentra-
ton and said nothing that might indl.
cate the probability of an aIl-Ameri
/ can drive. He did say the custom oe
! brigading new divisions with tho
French or British forces to hasten
their preparation for front line duty
had not been abandoned.
But as our men go over pretty
well instructed" he added. "the time
they stay in the training camps there
Is very much less"
General March announced also that
the Twenty division. previous
ly training behind the British lines.
lis on the line in Flanders This is
interpreted to mean that the division
soon will be withdrawn to Join Per.
'shing's army
In his review Of the battle situation
General March pointed out that the
Germans are retreating along a 1O1-
mile front from the Arras-C Cambrat
sector to Rheims with French. British
and Americans in close pursuit. Of
ficial reports show that the enemy
now is sixty miles from Paris at the
closest point. General March stl6,
while the old Hindenburg line stands
at the point of a maximum distance
only ten miles beyond the present ac-
tive front.
Pressure ut Two Points.
THE pressure which forced this
retreat" General March said. came
at two points; the British froht be-
tween Arras and Peronne and the
Franco-American sector on the pla-
teau of scissors"
Reviewing the progress in each sec
tor, General March said the British
thrust toward Cambrai had paused
along the line of the Sensee marshes
and the Canal Du Nord with Cambria
only seven miles away and no natural
obstacles impending the road to that
objective.
~ the meantime. however. the
British crossed the canal farther
north and swept forward yesterday
ana today toward the Hindenburg line
noftn or st. quentin.
OF the thrust by the French and
American forces General March said
The Franco American drive across
the plateau north of Soissons directeda
against the flank of the Chemin Des
Danes, after a week of severe fight
ing, forced the enemy to fall back
without further resistance from the
Vesle. Our allied forces crossed tha
Vesle- Aisne ridge and had reacheu
the Aisne river on a 10-mlle front
last night.
Drain on Hun Man Power.
Further evidence of the drain on
German man power during the fight
ing OF the last few months reached
Washington today in official dis
patches. which quoted captured enemy
documents. Numerous German bat
talons now are composed of three
instead of four. It WIS
said. as reserves were not available
to keep four company units up TO
strength In this process
of consolidation. forty German reg
ments are said to have been wiped out
II also is stated that the men of
the German class of 1919 are rapidly
and those of the 1920
class must be drawn on to fill gaps.
a measure which the enemy is said
to be postponing as long as possible.
The dispatches note that the milf
tary efficiency of the class of 1920 IS
very low as the boys are exhausted
by underfeeding before they joined
their regiments. The dispatches also
saw that the actual monthly arrival
Of American troops in France -
equal now to fully one-haif OF the
German annual recruitment.