Bisbee daily review., 1918-04-03
.W|LSONG|VEN
 CREDIT FOR MERGING AL
 ALLIED MEN
Bakers Trip Made for Pur- pose of Hedging Allies Use of American Troops in Great Counter Drive.
my RevIew I.eassd wIrcl


 WASHINGTON, April 2.-While the battle in Picardy halted today in luil that may only foreshadow the break ing of new and more terrible storm American troops were hastening fO join in the fray with their French and British comrades.
 Formal announcement from London that these units would be merged with the allIed war machines indicated to officials that losses of the allies would be immediately made good with vigOr- Ous young Americans, keen. for battle. and the stage set without delay not only fer a counter offensive but for az gressiye warfare without pause until the German invader shall not only be checked. but hurled back to ul;imafe military defeat.
 Last Year of War
 President Wilson has predicted that this will be the decisive year of the war. In the opinion of the military officers he has taken the decisive step towar.i making his words good
 The power of American manhood IS to be brought to bear without delay. not only in the. American expedition ary army itself. but also in the fight ing ranks of the allied armies. By its means. the effect of American inter vention in the war it was said. will he doubled or even trebled and in the coming days of the battles which may last fer months. Americans by hun dreds OI thousands will play their parts.
 No explanation of the announcement from LcndOn was made today at the war department Probably not more than a very few of the highest off. c:els know precisely what method is to be adopted to rush additional forces 10 France. Instead of an explanation. Major General March. acting chief Of staff. made public an order from Sec retary Baker. now in Europe. directing that hereafter all information regard ing the activities of American troops overseas be centralized in General Pershing's hands The war department will not give out statements relating to those forces. Presumably under the hew plan of merging American units in the allied armies and also be- cause of the creation of a supreme com mander. in the person of General FOch it has been found advisable to provide for uniform system of reporting mill tary operations.
 Caused Bakers Trip
 Reviewing the meagre information that has been available as to the great things that have been accomplished since the German drive began. many officials were convinced tonight that Mir. Raker had been sent to Europe by President Wilson for the purpose Of bringing about just the amalgama:iOn of forces that has been effected In urging single command for the whole battle front in the west. it was regard ed as certain that the American war secretary would not have gone empty handed to the conference
 The strength of the American army actually in France was not sufficient to warrant more than a plea for new measures to meet the German onrush With the whole man power of the Un- tied States made immediately availa- ble to play its part in the ranks of the allied armies as we'll as in the purely American forces. however. it was ar gued that Mir Baker coUld speak wi;h compelling force. There are many who believe he crossed the oceah au-