The sun., 1918-07-06
ALLIES ABLE TO
HIT HARD BLOW
AT ANY MOMENT
Harassing Attacks in Many
Sections Show Passing
From Defensive.
ENEMY KEPT GUESSING
Possibility That Counter
Stroke Will Come When He
Attempts to Strike.
ENEMY KEPT GUESSING

WASHINGTON. July 5.--Increasing man
power and rapidly extending control of
the air have permitted the adoption of
new policy by Gen. Foch. supreme COM
mander of the allied armies on the west
ern front. in the opinion of many OBJ
servers here. They believe the sequence
of hard local blows that have been
struck recently by French. American.
British and Italian troops shows that
rev phase of the great battle is develop
ing which might expand into a major op-
Grafton on any part of the front where
the situation was found favorable.
Reports of the recent highly success
ful strokes at the German lines are taken
here to indicate that Gen. Foch no longer
feels under the urgent necessity OF keep
ing rigidly on the defensive in order to
conserve his forces for the expected re-
newal of the German offensive. The
fact that the Germans have been sur
prised completely and overwhelmed by
several of the local counter operations is
believed to be due to the work of the al
lied airmen.
HarassinG Work Begun.
IN DOll cases american ala mas al
ready served to change the tide OF the
fighting. The arrival of American troops
BY the hundreds Of thousands has en-
abled Gen. Foch to begin harassing the
enemy all along the line. while the In
oreasing number of American pilots
makes possible centrations OF air forces
that sweep enemy scouts out of the sky
in the sectors selected for limited drives.
The American attacks around Cha
.cau Thierry the French operations on
the Soissons front of the Compiegue
salient and the British operations on
, both sides of the Somme and in Flanders
probably were prompted by the fact that
the weakness of the enemy n those par
ucular points had been revealed 10y air
plane observations or as a result Of raids
at other points. Quick advantage was
| taken undoubtedly for surprise blows
where German reserves were Oh the
move
1t is assumed here that Gen. F'och now
| plans to give the enemy no rest. Points
OF vantage held BY him which would be
! OF value as the starting place for a new
major thrust are being recaptured all
| along the line. The effect is to cmbar
raSs German preparations and officers
! here believe that the fact that any of
these local operations by the Allies may
| suddenly develop into a more important
n ovement tends TO keep the German re-
serves scattered along the whole line.
Diversions Now with Allies.
The activity of the allied forces is be-
| leved by observers here to put a wholly
new aspect on the problem OF meeting
the forthcoming German effort to renew
his movement either toward the Chan
mel ports or Paris. The possibilities OF
feints at remote parts OF the line &c
cover the development Of the real attack
until it is we'll under way are believed
to be less promising. as it is the Allies
who are now creating diversions. and
| not the Germans.
1t is regarded As quite probabl thai
Gen. Foch will be able 10 form accurate
estimates of the course and strength OF
the blow before it is delivered. anC
make his concentrations of reserves ac
| cordingly. II so, officers here have
hopes that the German assault, when Il
does come, can be stopped without any
considerable surrender of territory
One advantage OF the increasing mar
power of the allied armies that obscrv'
ers believe is certain to be apparent il
the next German rush will be the posi-
bility of allied thrusts at other point!
along the line thus compelling the shift
ing of German reserves to meet these
attacks. 1t is believed Gen. Foch nov
Is In position to take this means o
slowing up the enemy without impairinl
| his nUn rpSpryeS