The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
NEW DRIVE IN
 FLANDERS TOBE
 EXPECTED SOON In Opinion of Army Officers Present Slowing Up of Operations Means Big
 Drive Impending
ENEMY NO LONGER
 MENACE TO PARIS
General March States That General Pershing Now Has Million and Quarter Troops Organized
 Into First Army Corps

Washington, August 14.--A new drive against the German
 positions, either in Flanders or
 between the Disc and Soissons,
 is expected by many army of
 ficers here as a result of the
 slowing up of the advanced
 Picardy theatre
 Outlining the situation at his mid
 week conference with newspaper men to-
 day. General March, chief of staff, con- fined his statements to pointing out that
 the Germans have now been forced back
 until they are not within 50 miles of
 Paris at any point. The head of the
 army has previously laid stress on the
 fact, however, that the greatest advan-
 tags won by Marshal Foch in military from the enemy
 The opinion prevailed among other off
 cers that the present struggle around Rcye and Lassigny would soon terminate in the capture of these points, to be followed by the taking of Noyon. They agree with the commentators abroad lthat all signs indicate the enemy intends to withdraw and is fighting fierce rear guard actions only to cover his retire nient and to permit him to prepare strong lines in his rear on which to stand fast.
 PRESSING HAS 1,25O,0OO In the course of his discussion, Gen. eral March said General Pershing now has 1,250,0CO American troops organized into the first army corps. Presumably the Americans on the British left flank | in Pcardy, identified by the chief of staff as the 131st infantry of the Thirty i third ullinois national guard) division are among those still brigaded for train I ing.
 It appeared possible to some officers the organization of the first American army might be followed by an all-Amer- ican attack at some point on the line which it holds beyond Verdun, where | there has been no recent fighting. No rorts, official or unofficial, have been l received, however. throwing any light on General Pershing's plans or the part as- signed to him by Marshal Foch in the present offensive campaign.
 PURPOSE REALIZED
 1 The military purpose of two blows l Marshal Foch has struck has been real Iized. Both in the Aisne-Marne battle and l dkdln III I'lCdIuy, tilc dttdChS NCAc QS- l fensive measures to free Paris from the menace of the two wedges the enemy had driven in that direction. The value l of the drives in this respect was pointed out by General March today. 1 Officers here, therefore, anticipate a | complete change in the character of the fighting in the next phase of the battle with Foch's armies assuming the offer- sive in the fullest sense of the word and striking to force the enemy back Tn such manner that he cannot avail him. 1 self of his old Hindenburg line defenses. 1 It appears very probable to some ob- servers that the Flanders front might l see the next blazeslxindled with double drive by British forces to pinch out the 1 salient there, as 1t has been pinched out i at the Marne and again in Picardy. They ! foresee, also, the initiation of movements ] of far greater scope in the near future. aimed at flanking the Germans out of the blunt wedge into which the Picardy and Aisne battle fronts have been merged 1 hv recent actions,