Arizona republican., 1918-04-03
SAMM|ESARE NOW BEING RUSHED TO FRONT, |S BELIEF
Report From English Cap itol States That Ameri- can Troops Are Rapidly
 Arriving ill War Zone
IRepublican A. p. Leased Wire1


 WASHINGTON, April 2.-While the battle in Picardy halted today in a lull that may only foreshadow the breaking of new and more terrible storm. American troops were hastening to join in the fray with their French and British comrades.
 Formal announcement from London that these units would be merged with the allied war machines indicated to officials that losses of the allies would be immediately made good with vigor- ous, young Americans. keen for battle, ard the stage set without delay not only for a counter offensive but for aggressive a warfare without pause un- til the German invader shall not only be checked, but hurled back to ultimate military defeat.
 l President Wilson has predicted that this will be the decisive year of the war. In the opinion of the military of flyers here he has taken the decisive step toward making his words good. The power of American manhood is l to be brought to bear without delay | not only in the American eXpeditionary army itself; but also in the fighting ranks of the allied armies. By this means. the effect of American inter- vention in the war, it was said will be | coming days of the battle of battles which may last for months, Americans by hundreds of thousands will play their part.
 | No explanation of the announcement from London was made today at the war department.
 Probably not more than a very few of the highest officials know precisely what method is to be adopted to rush additional forces to France. Instead of an explanation. Major General March, acting chief of staff, mfde public an l order from Secretary Baker now in Europe, directing that hereafter all in formation regarding the activities of American trops overseas be centralized in General Pershing's hands. The war department will not give out state- ments relating to those forces. Pre- sumably under the new plan of merg- ing American units in the allied armies and also because of the creation of a supreme commander in the person of General Foch, it has been found ad- visable to provide for uniform system or reporting military operations. Reviewing the meager information | that has been available as to the great | things that have been accomplished since the German drive began, many officials were convinced tonight that 1 Mir. Baker has been sent to Europe by President Wilson for the purpose of bringing about just the analgamation of forces that has been effected. In urging single command for the whole battle front in the west it was re- garded as certain that the American war secretary would not have gone empty handed to the conferences. =. Il hn ctr of th \ .iaa aIt1ox .actually in France was not sufficient to warrant more than a plea for new measures to meet the German onrush With the whole man power of the United States made immediately avail able to play it's part in the ranks o1 the allied armies as well as in the purely American forces, however, il was argued that MT. Baker could speak with compelling force. There are many who believe he crossed the ocean au- thoriZed to make this great sacrifice o1 pride in national achievement upon the altar of world democracyk.
 i Whatever may have been the orig inal purpose of the secretarys mission the complete unificatlon of Germany's three most powerful enemies has been accomplished. The effect, officers be- lieve, will be seen shortly at the battle front.
 Just before Secretary Baker left for Europe he had under consideration new plans for establishing American train ing centers with the British forces as well as with the French. The plar contemplated only training in order tC hasten the arrival in France of Amer ican forces in sufficient numbers to in- fluence the war decisively. The mer were to be put through the British training system, from deceiving camps to front line trenches, then to be turned over to General Pershing for incorpo- ration in his army.
 The actual plan adopted apparently is an outgrowth of this proposal but i is far more significant, for it contem- plates not only traininp but actual op. erations in battle of combined British American and French American force! in addition to General Pershing's owr army, the upbuilding of which is to b' \ pressed forward with every urgency British and French officers her, agree that the American soldier wht has had from 50 to 90 days instruction is fully ready to go to the front, pro vided he is surrounded with veteran troops They have been deeply i'm pressed by the intelligence and quicl [ perception of the Americans. There ar hundreds of thousand of men nov available both here and in Europe Wh are physically fit and mentally read. for the battle, they say. and it is thes
 men who are to be used. Associates with British and Frsnch veterans, the. i win pick up the finer points they lacl in a matter of weeks or even days , these officers say, and they confident. predict that the showing of the mel In battle will more than justify thei . use without waiting for their full train ing course to have been completed.