Evening journal., 1918-07-06
]. 5. BRINGS DRIVE
By ALLIES near
Increase in American Man
Power Changes Tide
of Fighting
FOCH KEEPS THE
ENEMY GUESSING

WASHINGTON, July 6.-Increasing
man power and rapidly extending con-
troll OF the air have permitted the
adoption Of a new policy OF General
Foch. supreme commander Of the Al
lied armies on the western front, in the
iopinion Of many observers here. They
believe the sequence Of hard blows
that have been struck recently by
French, American, British and Italian
troops shows a new phase the great
battle Is developing which might ex-
pand into a major operation on any
part Of the front where the situation
was found favorable.
Reports Of the recent highly sue
cessful strokes at the German lines
are taken here TO indicate General Foch
no longer feels under the urgent ne
cessity Of keeping rigidly on the do
fensive in order to conserve his forces
for the expected renewal Of the Ger
man offensive.
The fact the Germans have been COM
pletely surprised and overwhelmed by
several OF the local cOunter-Operations
the Allied airmen.
has served TO change the tide OF the
fighting. The arrival Of American
troops by the hundreds Of thousands
has enabled General Foch TO begin
harrassing the enemy all along the line,
while the increasing number Of Ameri-
can pilots makes possible concentra-
tiOns OF air forces that sweep enemy
scouts out Of the sky In the sectors Sc
lected for limited drives.
The American attacks around Cha
teau Thierry, the French operations
on the scissors front Of the Com
piegne salient and the British opera
tions on both sides Of the Somme and
in Flanders probably were prompted by
the fact the weakness Of the enemy
at those particular points had been
revealed by airplane observations or
as a result Of raids at other points.
Quick advantage was taken undoubt-
edly for surprise blows where Ger
man reserves were on the move.
IL is assumed here that General
Foch now intends to give no rest to the
enemy. Points Of vantage held by him
which would be Of value as the start
ing place for a new major thrust are
being recaptured all along the line. The
effect is to embarrass German prepara-
tlons. and officers here believe the fact
that any Of these local operations by
the Allies may suddenly develop into
more important movement tends to
keep the German reserves scattered
along the whole line.
The activity Of the Allied forces Is
believed by observers here TO put a
wholly new aspect on the problem Of
meeting the forthcoming German ef-
fort TO renew his movement either
toward the channel ports or Paris.
The possibilities Of feints at remote
parts of the line to cover the develop
ment OF the real attack until II was
well under way are believed to be less
promising, as Il is the Allies who are
now creating diversions and not the
Germans.
Il is regarded as probable that Cen
eral Foch will be able to form accu-
rate estimates Of the course and
strength Of the blow before II is de-
llvered and make his concentrations Of
reserves accordingly. II so, officers
here have hopes that the German as
sault,. when 1t does come. can be stop
ped without any considerable surrender
of territory.
One advantage Of the increasing man
power Of the Allied armies that OBJ
servers believe is certain to be appar-