Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-08

l ltLLO UT nLhU )lM 0f Ii'li YANKEE TROOPS ...s the Encounters Oi Last mMh m.srch in Which American Forces Participated.
 washington, Dec. 6.-General John par,h;ng's account of his steward t.. aS commander of the American sa'p nnpoditonary Forces was given to ,ss nublic today by Secretary Baker mv m ;s in the form of preliminary re- .ort J, to the Secretary, covering ope- p; p..;ons I'D to Nov. 20th atfer the n1,man a,. collaspse. It closes with .soso ussa words from the leader of the u.oot army in France, expressing his s.ouo for those who served under him: .,..,+o + ,t6cars and soldiers of the line. Whom v,, I think of their heroism. their ,stipnce under hardships, their un- snchins spirit of offensive action. l .m m filled with emotion which l am unable m to express. Their deds are immortal, and they have earned the eternal gratitude of our country. Tho report begins with GeneraA parshing's departure for France 70 nave the way for the army that was n smash German resistance on the ualse and give vital aid to the al- lies n forcng Germany to ts knees nineteen months later It's striking feature is the section devoted to acombat operations" where it told hp story of fighting by the man who directed it.
 General Pershing views the encoun- ters before March 21 of this year in which American troops participated as a part of their training and dis misses them briefly. On that date, however, the great German offensive was launched and crucial situation quickly developed in the allied lines which called for prompt use of the four American divisions that wer- at that time "equal to any demands of battle action.'
 The first crisis of the German drive had been reached ill Picardv.
 "The crisis which it's offensive de- plOped was such," General Pershin2 says, "that our occupation of an Amercan sector must be postponed. Ion March 2S l placed at the disposal of Marshal Foch, who had been agreed upon as Commander in Chief of the Allied Armies, all of our forces to De used as he might declde. At n,s request the first division was trans erred from the Foul sector to d position in reserve at Chaumont en Vexin. As German superiority in numbers required prompt action, an agleement was reached at the Abba vile conference of the Allied pre- miers and commanders and myself on May by which British shipping was to transport 10 American divi- aons to the British Army area, where they were to be trained and equipped and additional British Shipping was to be provided for as many divisions as possible for use elsewhere.
 On April 26 the First Division had gone into the line in the Montdi- aler salient on the Picardy battle lront. Tactics had been suddenly re- Folutlonized to those of open warfare, ma our men, confident of the results their training, were eager for the est On the morning of May 28 this alVlslon attacked the commanding ierman position on its front, taking Aa splendid dash the town of Can- sny and all other objectives, which were organized and held steadfastly salnst vicious counterattacks and sallng artillery fire. Although local, us brillinat action had an electri- a effect. as it demonstrated our saung qualities under extreme bat conditions, and also that the ene- incible."
 mere followed immediately the 'pan thrust across the Aisne to- 'ard Paris.
 me Allies General Pershing says aced crisis equally as grave as ls. or the Picardy offensive in salcn Again every available man sS placed at Marshal Foch's dispo- M and the Third Division, which sa .a, just come from its preliminary I'a'ug, In the trenches, was hurri- w the Marne. It's motorized ma sue gun battalion preceded the oth- ,, anlts and successfully held the susenead at the Marne, opposite aaaa'eaa-Ihierry aa The Second Divi- sn. s.' II lh reserve near Montdidier, was as S,s oy motor trucks and other avail ''s s,. transport to check the progress ur,a. .tae enemy toward Paris. The oss ",s'oh attacked and retook the .a N. ana railroad station at Boures. ss;. S ana sturdily held it's ground ;"n sa,As' the enemy's best guard div1' rh;a, a the battle of Belleau Wood hsi. .u followed, our men proved be,i.s, superiority and gained a strong oss position, with far greater h 1.., u the enemy than to ourselves el,e".y ,y l, before the Second wa: ,n, eu. It captured the village O.
 " N,atn watn most splendid precision.
 :, ,~aawnlle ~a our Second Corps, un esn aJ. Gen. George w. Bead, hat ur ulsanized for the command O