The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-29
First Complete Unit Of
Drafted Men Take Over
Sector Of Trench
MARCH COMMENTS
ON SITUATION
Five Divisions Brigaded
With British Have Com
pleted Training
(By Associated Press.)

Washington. June 2s.-The drst
American troops landed in Italy yes
terday. General March, chief Of staff
announced today. These are not the
force sent by General Pershing, but
consisted Of units shipped from this
country.
General March had no announce
ment to make today as to the total
number Of troops shipped from this
country to France. Formal announces
ment, he said, would be made later.
The troops consist largely of san
itary units but include other special
organizations, General March ex-
planned.
On the whole. however, II is made
up mostly of non -combatant units.
The combatant troops will be sent by
General Pershtng as previously an
nounced.
Surveying the entire battle front
General March said the situation
could be said to be extremely favor
able to the allies. He would make no
comment upon the indications of an
impending German attack.
National Army at Front.
Tho first ntional army division has
taken up g sector at the front, Cen
eral March also announced. It is the
77th. raised in New York, trained at
Camp Upton and originally COM
manded by Major General J. Frank
lin Beu. 1t was taken across under
Major General Johnson.
Five American divisions which had
been brigaded with the British Tor
training have been returned to Cen
eral Pershing's command with trains
ing completed.
One of these is the s5th division,
composed of Kansas and Missouri
troops and commanded by Major
General William NJ. Wright, when 1t
left the United States.
General\ March disclosed that thG
official reports from the Ltalian front
place the number OF Austrians cap
,tured at $4,000 and a large amount OF
war material. The line Of the Piave
has been entirely restored by tha
Italians and in some places has been
slightly advanced.
Military opinion, General March
said. found the Austrian attack
faulty, because it was spread over so
large a front as to make it irnpos-
sibie to carry through successfully.
During the last week, American ac-
.tivities in France have been local in
character, but official reports show
that the Americans at all times and
places have more than held their own
General March said. Commenting IIp-
on the return to General Persilingss
command Of the five divisions bri-
gaded with the British, General
March said, it showed clearly the
success Of the plan for using all ia
cilities to give American units their
final polishing. 1t would not have
been possible otherwise. he indicated.
to have served so large a trained
force under Pershing in so short a
time.
Senators were told by General
March at their weekly conference.
that the accounts Of the large num-
ber OF captured Austrians for some
unknown reason, were printed only in
American papers and not in any Of
Europe.
The achievements OF the italians,
however, according to senators, were
not minimized.
So far there is no information to
confirm reports, General March said,
that German troops are being sent to
back UP the Austrians.
Admits Heavy Loss.
Basel, Switzerland, June 29.-Ad-
mission that about 1900 men In
prisoners were lost by the Augtro@
Hungarian forces in their recent re-
treat on the Piave front. was made
by DR.. Alexander Wekerle, the Hum
garian premier, in a speech to the
chamber Of deputies, according to a
Budapest dispatch. DIR. WekerIe said
this covered the entire loss in pris-
oners.
DIR. Wekerle said he would not at
tempt to disguise the fact that cas-
ualties were heavy. tota1ling about
1900, but he said that large per-
centage was due to sickness. He
denied, however, that there had been
q single case OF death due to lack
Of food.
Buy w. IS. s.
GRANVILLE MAN GOES WEST.
Granville, N. d.. June 2s-Prof S.
NJ. Erwin, superintendent OF the
Gre Eamille eschnnIa- InE. ..aMaEal a-ea re-