The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-30
GEN. FOCH TAKES
SUPREME COMMAND


able and our divisions win be used il
needed French are in fine spirit and
poth armies seem confident
Jnefe was no mention in the Pershing
dispatch of the new authority given Cen
eral Foch, and war department Officials
were specializing over the reasons for
the absence OF any official announcement
Some were inclined to believe that the
French general had been placed in com
mand only of the army Of maneuver..
the reserve force composed of contingents
from all the allied armies created after
the formation of the supreme war coun-
Gil.
Before General Pershing's message
came tonight, General March was with
out advices to confirm the press dis
patches, because of the inevitable delays
in transmission Of official messages.
BAKERS MISSION
The news of the appointment of General
Foch, one of the heroes of the Marne, to
supreme command. gave rise instantly
to suggestions that the presence of Sec
rotary Baker in Europe was connected
with the development. Mr. Baker first
visited France and conferred at length
with French officials and with General
Bliss, american chief of staff. attached
to the supreme war council. and General
Pcrshng. There followed a brief trip to
London just as the great German drive
was starting, after which the American
war secretary FASTENED back to France
BRITISH OBJECTED
Many observers now surmise that Mr..
Baker went to Europe particularly to
urge the coordination of all allied armies
under single commander. Such is
known to have been President Wilson's
desire when his urgency caused the crea-
ton of the supreme war council Some
measure of coordination was secured
through that body. but any plan for APP
pointment of supreme commander
with authority over all the armies,
French, British. Italian and American
met strong opposition in England The
recent crisis which threatened the Lloyd
George ministry arose from the extent to
which the premier had gone in merging
the British forces with those of Britains
allies. To quell the parliamentary dis
turbance, the government found it neces-
sary to announce that Field Marshal
FIaig remained in supreme command OF
the British army in France. and that
only certain British forces had been con-
tributed to the military pool, sometimes
described as the strategic reserve or the
army OF maneiver
\ Now 1t is assumed that the needs OF
the critical hour have won over the Brit
slr cabinet to complete unification. MAX
ing 1t possible to meet the German on
the same plane of organization and cen
tralized authority that haze given the
enemy an advantage throughout the war
DISPOSITION OF AMERICANS
As to what is to be done with 70
American troops in the emergency, 49,
department officials are frankly igi
rant. They are to be employed as
French commander deems best and
CARELESS of the sectors they now hold
the region assigned for complete Anne
canization under previous plans To :
intents and purposes the American fore
would became On intergral part OF tna
French army, with which they share SUI
plies There probably will be no stat
mont now or later as to the number
Americans sent to the Picardy front.
VITAL BEARING
Todays developments will have yitni
bearing on what is to happen seen. The
official reports tonight showed the &c
mans to be pounding hard at the junctuge