The Washington times., 1918-03-18
ense Task of American Army in France Being Done Efficiently
OCCUPY
FIVE SECTORS ON
WESTBATTLEUNE
(continued from First Pags.)

(continued from First Psgs.)
mGssed, the chances are that the con-
gestion of the lines OF communication
will become SO great as TO make 70
impossible to maintain the hsxibility
OF maneuvsr which 10 30 essential
"Our own forces in France have
been constantly in action.
"Our troops are now In the trenches
at Eve different points.
This week we undertook our FIRST
assault against German positions un.
| assisted by any allied contingent.
AT dawn on March II. after . pre-
Iiminary bombardmsnt lasting three
quarters of an hour, we drove q highly
successful raid against . German
trench segment. ..-'r.
In Han6-ts-Hand Fight.
sour men penetrated the German
line to a depth OF 800 yards. Ths
enemy was driven OF after q hsnd-to-
hand night, whereupon our contingent
returned to our lines.
AT three places in Lorraine Ameri.
can troops, acting in cooperation with
small French dstaohmenta, raided
German trenches. Two of these op-
erations were carried out simultane-
600 yards. &.
AFTER q prolonged bombardment
the attacking units were able to reach
their obiectiVes. Few of the enemy
were found in the hryt-Iine trenches.
and the attackers swept forward into
the German secopd line.
sour men remained for nearly an
|, hour in the German positions and re-
tired after infiictiRg much damage
and capturing . considerable quantity
OF. material: .-- .
"There has been q decided Ibcreass
in sniping, owing to more favorable
weather conditions.
"Our artillery was also very active.
I'VE kept UP . vigorous lombard
ment on the rear areas opposite our
Toul sector.
Near the swiss border, where an.
other detachment OF our men are in
the trenches. hostile bombardmsnts
we're frequent
Bakers Arrival NstsA.
"The arrival of our Secretary Of
War in France is noted
During the past week the secrs-
tAry has had interviews with the lead
ing French authorities, and is about
to undertake q careful inspection of
our schools, training areas, rest
camps, as well as those sectors of
the front whore our forces are In
action.
"The western front, from the North
Sea to the Aisne, was the scene OF
much hard lighting.
"In Flanders the British we're able
completely to re-establish themselves
In the advance posts near Polderhosk
Ridge and Houthulst Wood, which
the enemy had captured during the
preceding week.
"Ths Germ8ps initiated q number
OF important faids undertaken on q
wide frontage which. had they proved
Veloped into engagements Of broad
or character, as the blows driven In
the vicinity OF Pa&schendRsle. Houth-
ulst Wood and along Menin Road,
could easily have been linked to-
gether into an offensive having q
frontage of eight and ons-hah miles.
THE British successfully raided the
German lines from south OF 81
Quentin to Houthulst Wood
French Regain Losses.
"AlonE the French front the Ger
mans centered their assaults in Cham
payne. However. they were unable to
make any headway. On the other
hand, the French retook some trench
elements In which the enemy had
gained q foothold west Of Mont Car
nillet.
"The Germans carried out a num-
Der OF air raids against London and
Paris. Allied aviatOrs raided Ger
man Industrial csnters OF the Rhine
region.
I'm the italian theater the arrival
OF further hostile units and the con
centration Of material coming from
Germany II noted in the area cas-:
and west of the Lake OF GardA, which
would point to hostile operations hav-
ing Verona and Brsscia as their OBJ
Jectives.
"In the eastern theAtsr the enemy
has stopped advancing in the north.
while consolidating the territory
gained in the south.
The chief operation OF the week
eliminated in the capture Of Odessa.
An Austrian column bearing down
from the north formed q junction
with . German column which had
advanced rapidly across Bessarsbia-
THE occupation OF odessa Will no
doubt be Of economic importance to
the enemy.
'Tn Finland hghtinE continues
German infantry has landed at Aho.
and the arrival of important addi-
tional German forces on the Aland
Islands II reported.
I'm Palestine the British continue
TO advance. They have now pushed
their Iinss eighteen miles north of
Jerusalem"