The sun., 1918-08-25
US. MEN PROVE
WORTH IN WAR,
MARCH
Returning Officers Bring
Messages of High Tribute
to Fighting Ability.
MANY GUNS CAPTURED
Entire Batteries Were Seized
in Yankees Advance From
the Narne.
MANY GUNS CAPTURED
Special Despatch TO The Sun.


WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.-Gen. March.
Chief of STAFF. in his conference with the
newspaper men reiterated to-day his
statement that with the troops available
under the enlarged draft the United
States and the Allies would be able to
win the war next year
During the last week In hearings be-
fore the Senate and House Military Com
mittees in answer to specific questions
as to the effect OF the proposed military
programme upon the conditions In
France, l made some statements which
were given to the press" said Cen
March. "Those statements are deliber-
ate military opinions: they are founded
upon the study of the respective man
power Of all the Allies and OF the enemy
at the time indicated-in June, 1919
and are not simply issued as spread
eagle statements; they are cold blooded
military opinions
American troops now in France and
en- route have passed the 100000
mark" the General added. He then re-
viewed the ighting since Wednesday.
French Reach the Disc.
when 1 talked to you last wednes-
day." he said. the French had reached
the brink Of the plateau overlooking the
broad Valley of the Disc. southeast OF
Noyon. Thursday there was a contin-
ued advance down the sloping plane be-
yond the Disc River, and northwestward
to the Ailette. the maximum advance be-
ing nine miles since August Is. The en-
1ray "a RI
pont Forest. south of Noyon, and fall
back across the Disc"
Gen. March said that the British had
duplicated the fine work done by the
French. He traced their actions since
Wednesday. when they started a drive
south of Arras, and at noon on the same
day. on ten mile front. had advanced
three miles. Counter attacks on the
line of the Arras-Amiens Railway de-
layed the advance but did not stop it.
"On Thursday the British advanced
over Albert and gained an important
triangular track between the Ancre and
the Somme," the Chief of Staff said.
"On Friday the British continued the
pressure on both sectors and forced the
enemy back toward Bapaume and SO
developed a new salient. The rest of
| the line is reported as quiet, most OF
the recent WORK along the line oeihe
| nibbling, artillery work, exchange of ar
uhery IRE out no ADVANCE Oh d large
scale"
American All Confident.
Gen. March gave high praise to the
American troops fghting In France, He
said his high confidence In them had
been we'll illustrated to him by officers
who have returned from france IN the
past week
These men come to pay their respects
and they talk the same language do'
he said. you do not hnd any lack OF
confidence on the front IN france among
the American FORCES ihese men no"
are teiiihg me interesting lhlhss "hlcH
have not yet come over IN Official re-
ports.
"One OFFICER reported specincaily tha'
In one engagement of the First Ameri-
can division they captured 6S guns from
the Germans and brought them in with
our own trucks On the same occasion
tbev took 800 prisoners. Another of.
60 ,ono,,aa that tho sacond division
i'eei '.p'' w -,
which ne was WIN, 'ap'u'eu .." I'm,
plete German batteries, "hlch the9
brought In and presented 10 Gen fer-
| shing.
..The American soldier" Gen. March
so,d "dsserves the confidence of the
..,oan naon,e On everv occa sior
An'efi'a" peS -. -, =. 49,,
so rar where nc mas Deen 'eu "' "aE
apsoiu'eiy