Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-07-19
Boys Who Went Over the Top
and Are Still Smashing
Their Way Ahead Bring Joy
to the People at Home,
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS
SCAN REPORTS EAGERLY
Smiles and Hand Grips Are In
duIged in as the Boys Over
seas Write New Pages in
American History,

''' NoNNiNo JOURNAL SPECIAL LEtsEp NiHSl
Washington, July 1S-The heart Of
the American nation was In France
tonight. II marched and fought
proudly with the boys who went over
the top this morning and still were
gallantly smashing their way ahead
besides their French comrades late In
the day.
1t was tale of splendid victory and
daring that news reports and even
the terse official statements told.
Hour by hour the extent of the vic
tory grew, What the full effect OF
the blow will be can not be estima ted
until details of the action along the
whole 25-mile front from Chateau
Thierry to Scissors from which the
surprise attack was launched are
available.
1t was clear beyond mistake. how
ever. that in the rush of the first day
of this answer of General Foch to the
German attack east and west Of
Rheims, the enemy had been placed
in position from which he may have
great difficulty in extricating himself.
Not only may the German effort west
of Rheims and south of the Marne be
wholly nullified, but all they have
accomplished since the battle of the
Alsne began months ago may be over
turned.
No Time to Calculate.
There was little effort here today
to measure the scope of the Franco
American stroke. Officers were too
vitality interested in the swift develop
ment of the attack as 1t was unfolded,
bulletin by bulletin. to devote much
time to cold calculations such as form
the basis for military predictions.
II was the instant news that held
them, from General March to the
junior staff officers and the war de-
partment was place of smiles and
hand grips as the boys overseas
wrote new and glorious pages In
American history.
Secretary Baker had difficulty in
holding himself to cool. unhurried
expression. as he dictated to the news
paper men late In the day statement
summarizing General PershIng's brief
reports. Supplemented with the news
dispatches. the official account re-
vealed, however. the full thrilling
story of the dash against the enemy
delivered with such gallantry and
such complete surprise that il swept
over the first German lines apparent-
ly without waverihg and rushed on to
ob1ectives deep In the territory tho
Germans have held for months.
Messages Closely Scanned.
During the day Secretary Baker.
General March and war department
OFFICIALS spent much time over the
messages. They read every detail Of
the accounts brought in over press
wires and time after time all other
business halted while the swiftly
changing battle front was traced out.
Until late in the night officials were
eagerly receiving every report that
came In.
Mr. Bakers statement paid instant
homage to the dash and gallantry of
the American forces and his elation
as well as that OF the officers who
surround him was clearly written be-
tween the lines. The statement,
which summarized General Pershing's
reports as received up to . O'Clock
this afternoon. follows:
The war department has received
from General Pershlng," Mr.. Baker
said, official confirmation OF tho
opening of the counter offensive
along the line indicated in the news
paper dispatches. American troops
are participating both as complete
divisions and as units In association
with the French.
The first objectives seem every
where to have been attained No ac-
curate count has been made but 1t Is
clear that many prisoners have been
taken and many guns and much war
material captured"
Foch Has Sufficient Force.
The most promising consideration
or the counter attack, officers believe.
aside from renewed proof of the
fighting qualities of the new Ameri-
can armies, Is the fact that General
foch now has sufficient forces to un-
loose major counter stroke, for tho
niow today Is nothing less than that.
however limited It's fixed objectives
Tor today may have been. The su-
preme commander now has shown
clearly that a definite turning point
has been reached where his resources
in men and munitions are great
enough for him to assume at least an
aggressive defense.
whether the present counter stroke
viii enlarge into an Allied offensive
can not be known until the events OF
the next few days are known. II tho
present F'ranco-American thrust
should realize all the possibilities seen
in 1t by observers abroad and force
the Germans out of the whole Aisne-
Marne salient 1t seems highly prob-
able here that General Foch might
feel warranted in expanding that sue.
cess through offensive operations on
other fronts. A narrower construction
on today's events fixes the stopping Of
the German drive west of Rheims a.
the purpose of the Allied attack. In
that case it Is already certain that
what was accomplished today will 20
far toward ending any menace the
German assault may still have.
British May Strike. d
1t was suggested tonight that q
thrust on the British front on q wider