New-York tribune., 1918-03-20
War Council Devises a
New Method of
Offensive
Attack by Teutons
Is Not Expected
Italian Front May Be the
Scene of Entente
Operations
BY The Associated Press1

to the 1918 riddle of the Western bat
tie frcnt is in the hands of the Su-
preme War Council at Versailles.
Decision as to the time and place of
major offensive by the Allies rests
with that body. 1t also directly con-
trois, officers here believe, new
weapon forged during the winter with
which to make effective its plans of
grand strategy. That weapon is be-
heved to lie in a pooling of the army
reserves of all the Allies armies, per-
mltting overwhelming concentrations
at selected points of attack
American observers now are con-
vinced the German high command
plans defensive campaign and that
the long talked of drive on Paris or
the Channel ports has been abandoned.
The initiative, according to this view,
rests with the Allied and American
forces. Communicates are being
scanned closely for the first indication
at Versailles.
Controls Great Force
The Supreme Council was created
under the urgent insistence of Presi-
dent Wilson for aggressive action this
year, based or co0rdinated plans and
under the direction Of single agency
The exact scope Of the councils author
ity has never been disclosed. 1t was
said both by Premier Lloyd George and
by Lord Curzon, however, in explain
ing the status of the British Imperial
General Staff and the commander in
the field, Sir Douglas Haig, that cer-
tain British forces had been assigned to
the councils control.
Decision by the War Council officers
here believe. as to the field where these
and similar forces from other armies
are to be concentrated will show where
Allied blows at the German defences
are designed to fall. If there is to be
no German drive, as the War Depart
ment predicted yesterday in it's weekly
war review, the council will not be
forced to hold its reserves for defen-
sive purposes, and can devote this new
agency to attempts to smash weak
points in the German line.
Italian Front May Be Scene
Opinion as to the sectors Offering
the best opportunity for Allied assaults
varies widely here. There is substan-
tial agreement, however, that the Ital-
ian front may in fact become the main
theatre of war this year. Austro-Ger-
man concentrations and possible often
sives on that front, also noted by the
weekly war summary, may represent
the recognition of this view by the
German High Command.
In any event, even though the Su-
preme Council might have decided to
make the effort to break through in
the game would be played in France
and Flanders. Drives with all the ap-
pearance Of being the real offensives
would undoubtedly accompany or pre-
cede the main thrust.
The pooled Allied reserves, under dl-
recton of the Supreme Council, would
make possible campaign of such
nature, designed to keep the German
command pcrplexed as to which assault
would be driven home. In that posi-
ton adequate German forces of select
ready to support either line, and they
must be held somewhere in Germany,
with ready transportation available in
either direction.
Question Of Handling Reserve
The theory of pooled general re-
serves under command of the Supreme
War Council has already appeared in
the British press to some extent as
the explanation of what has been said
in Parliament.
The practical question of how such
a grand reserve may be handled ap-
peals to army officers as the most in
teresting question of the day. Mobili-
zation Of a new inter-Allied army of
attack does not seem feasible, it is
said. 1t is pointed out, however, that
the report of Sir Douglas Haig on
operations in 1917 shows that his
scheme of operations was upset to
some extent when he was compelled
to take over an additional section of
the French front, freeing large
French army for participations in the
French offensives of that year.
This suggests that a similar practice
might be adopted for obtaining an
army of attack on any front.
How Scheme Would Work
If the assault were to be made in
Flanders the French or Belgian re-
serves could take over trenches now
held by the British, except on the Sec
tor of operations. British troops thus
released would be available for pur-
poses of attack with their comrades in
that sector If additional reserves
were necessary General Pershing might
expand his front on the right flank,
whore he is now gradually taking over
the American sector. The French
troops released then could be shifted
to the French left flank where it con-
nected with the British line and be
readily employed as part Of the at
tacking force. Such operations would
involve no intermixing of transport
and supply lines.
1t is conceivable to army officers
in her time of peril are included in
the forces now under direct control of
the Supreme War Council. Certainly,
it is pointed out, they are not in
position to be supervised by Generals
Haig and Petain.
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