The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-08
This Fact Is Made Known
on High Authority
at the National
Capital
BIG OPERATIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO BEGIN
SOON IN FRANCE
With Opening Of Spring,
Army Men in Washing
ton Look for Much
Bitter Fighting

Washington, Marcn g.
Troops and supplies for Cen
eral Pershing's forces now arc
moving to France on sched-
uled time, it was learned to-
day on high authority. While
figures may not be published,
it was stated positively that
transportation requirements OF
the army are being met by the
shipping board, and the I'M
mediate situation as to ships
was described as satisfactory.
I'm view Of this assurance that the
United states will be able to main
tain its place fighting unit ON
the front reports from the western
front are being scanned more eng
erIy than ever by officials for the De-
ginning of the 1918 campaign. IL Is
felt strongly that the opening OF major
operations In what President Wilson
predicted will mark the decisive PC
Rod OF the great war Will not be long
er delayed.
Mud has been the determining fac
tor of many previous western front
operations. So long as the ground Is
soft with the winter rains 1T is I'M
possible to move forward great guns
and necessary transport trains 10 sup
port an advancing line. Even In flah-
ders. however. indications this year
are that the ground will harden early
in spring, permitting either side 70
undertake the enterprises planned.
APRIL is MONTH
In previous years April has seen OF
fensive operations set In motlon oy
the allies For that reason many OF
ficers here seem to anticipate raldins
and minor assaults before the mldoie
IF next month, which show in them
selves that the ground Is being
manned. information Obtained and To-
cal strategic advantages established
by one side or the other In prepare
tion for a great effort.
TO others 1t appears probable that
no offensive will be undertaken on any
considerable scale before May L. They
found that view on reports that tne
French offensive in 1915, started Ill
April, proved to be at least two weeks
too early. The guns and transports
could not be brought forward to con-
solidate all the ground the troops
were able to wrest from German con-
troll.
AS TO HUN OFFENSIVE
Meanwhile during the last few days.
there has been less discussion of
German offensive on the western
front. There are observers here who
have never been convinced that the
Germans actually intended to attempt
another drive at the channel ports or
at Paris To these officers the ad-
mitted concentration of German
forces has seemed a defensive rather
than an offensive step. They believe
that the German general staff fore
saw a great allied effort this year and
were moving to offset it.
GERMANS OUTNUMBERED
While much has been said, both Of
ficially and unofficially. of German
offensive, nothing as to probable ag-
gressive measures by the allied forces
has come over the cables. This fact
has attracted particular attention be-
cause of the reiterated official dec
larations that the allied line out
matches the Germans in gun and
man power and in view of the forma-
ton during the winter of the supreme
war council designed to make the
warfare more aggressive on the part
Of the allies and the United States.
A substantial American army al
ready Is in the trenches on the west
ern front and Secretary Baker has in
timated that there may be at least