New-York tribune., 1918-09-22
I, $50, 900 IT, S.
Men in France
To Face Huns
Continued from page /

According to official reports, the Brit
lsh have reopened activities in Pales-
tine"
The Western battle wall has been
rebuilt by the Allied and American
forces, according to observers here.
When the first American army swiftly
trampled out the st. Mihiel salient the
last possibility of a German strategic
stroke passed. The enemy faces now
straight line from the North Sea to
the Swiss border. There are no sa-
lients to give opportunity for flank
operations. Even if the power for a
counter offensive should be found-and
military authorities here see no chance
of that-the German high command
would face the costly business of
frontal attack. They have nothing. it
Is pointed out. not single strategic
position. to show for their great drive.
Enemy Hard Pressed
But it is more than restored often
sive line that faces Them officers say.
Along the centre Of the great sweep
Of the front British and French armies
are storming ahead night and day,
harrying and harassing the batfled Ger
man divisions without rest. Pershing' S
men stand before Metz and Conflans,
and against that new threat the enemy
must gather reserves here on this new
front at the very time when every
available reserve division is sorely
needed to meet the Allied rush to the
north. Signs Of further withdrawal are
manifest along wide sectors of the Ger.
| man front.
In payment for their lavish eXpendi-
ture of lives in the abortive offensive
the German leaders have now been
compelled by formal decree to reduce
the fighting strength of every infantry
unit. Instead of $50 men in each bat.
TALON, there are now only $50 under
revised organization. IN no other way
could the drain be met. To military
observers this means that every Ger.
man battalion or company, when at full
strength, must face an Allied or Ameri
can unit Of the same type that is a
least Is per cent stronger in fghtin}
men.
100000 Prisoners Taken
There appears good reason to be
lieve that the German losses in prison
ers alone since the tide turned agains
them in July would reach well W
toward 100000 were the truth known
The losses in guns and other materia
have not been computed.
With this steadily increasing superi
ority in both man power and war ma
terial at his command, military author
tiles here feel that perhaps the mos
striking asset Marshal Foch ha,
acquired in his two months Of swift
and victorious counter blows is tn,
power to take the enemy by surprise a,
will. No longer need he wait foI
months, or even weeks, to organize AZ
attack of more than local value. 1t i,
now possible, almost overnight. tx
bring up the men and the mobile artil
lcry for thrust at any sector Unde
the direction of the great Frenc!
leader tho whole front virtually is ken
IN constant state Of preparation foj
attack.
But desperate as the situation must
appear to the enemy leaders on the
West front aS CoDoroI M,ro1 ...:...
out to-day, it is only the main theatre
of reverses for him. On every othc,
front the Allied forces are hitting hard
against Gcrmany's allies. The Bulga
rian army in Macedonia has been
broken, and disaster of an irretrieva-
bic nature may come to the enemy
there. In Palestine the Turkish forces
have been routed by the British. in
Siberia events are swiftly shaping for
the restoration of the Eastern front.
which will in its turn be front Of
Allied attack. In Italy there is y
flicker Of activity that may mark an
Italian drive against foe DISCOURAGE
and still exhausted from the Austrian
failure along the Piave this summer.
Military officials, both Allied and
American, are very cautious in predic
tions. They have been unable to con.
ceal completely, however, their grow
ing elation, and there is no doubt that
many Of them here are looking forward
to new and greater successes before
winter slows down the fighting,
General March read a cablepram cit
ing general order issued hv Mainr