The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-12
AMERICANS ARE
SMASHING FORWARD
Continued from page II


the German border.
The Mouse and the MoseiIe rivers
are the boundaries Of this twenty
| five-mile stretch along which the
iAmericans today have started their
offensive.
The country is rather difficult for
military operations. II is hiIiy and
has been heavily protected with artil-
/ lery by the Germans. Nevertheless.
Won Hindenburs may we'll have been
forced by his search for man power
to have decided to reiinquish eventu-
ally the st. MihieI wedge.
1t is highly improbable, however,
that he had completed his prepare
tons SO soon for this operation. The
Americans may well, therefore, have
, caught him off his guard by their
sudden attack today
The effective combatapt strength
Of the American overseas forces at
the present time is probably a mil
lion men. Of these, e maximum of
100000 may now be under General
Pershns's direct command This
does not mean, however, that any.
thing like that number is ENGAGED in
the offensive which began today. The
whole Of the twenty-five miles from
east Of ST. Mihiels, between the
Mouse and the MoseIie river, Is not
held exclusively by the Americans.
Part Of the sector, according to the
latest information, was still occupied
by the French. II Is fairly probable
that not more than a hundred thou.
sand American troops are concerned
in todays movement. This number
may be Increased as the offensive
increases in extent
Whether or not it will Increase In
degree, depends not only on the
local situation about ST. MihieI. but
also on the strategic conditions that
may be affected In western France
by the American offensive.
At present there is reason to be-
lieve that General Pershing's plans
are not dominated by an intention Of
forcing the war into its final STAGE
by gradually bringing all Of his
American forces into the combat at
this time.
1t is impossible, however, for Hin.
cenburg to be sure Of General Per-
shins's ultimate intentions. The pos
sibiIity certainly exists that the
Americans will suddenly shift their
attack more 10 the eastward. If the
St. MihieI salient begins to be drawn
in, and may undertake to establish
themselves we'll within German ter.
ritory before winter puts an end to
the full activity Of the military oper-
atoms.
Won HindenburG has suddenly had
this new problem thrust upon him
while faced with the grave RESPONSE
biiity Of trying to move his troops
out Of western France with a mini
mum of losses. The timing of the
American offensive has been made
to develop this very dilemma for the
German general staff. II is certain
that Won Hindenburg must quickly
move heavy reinforcements into the
ST. MihieI sector if he Is to prevent
the Americans from crushing in his
front and bringing about disaster.
AT the same time, he cannot af-
ford TO weaken his imperiied front
in Picardy and Flanders to supply
the reserves to oppose the Ameri-
cans.
The American threat must be
read by the German general staff as
menace direct against German
soil. The defense of German soil
has the prime call upon Won Hinden.
burs's forces. Yet, he has been un-
able to accumulate sufficient re-
serve force from the west front no
to the present for operations outside
the Picardy and Flanders sectors
Therefore the American attack will
have to be met by drawing upon the
permanent German reserves, whose
number has already been reduced to
dangerously small proportions.
The headquarters Of part of this
permanent reserve force was Metz
up TO the time Of the German often.
sives which began last March. AS
Ven HindenbUrg became more and
more Involved In hi@ failing efforts
70 win decisive victory he called
upon the Metz depots to make good
his losses in western France
To what extent the Metz reserves
were thus depleted is not known,
but i is highly probable Won Hin
denburg has not enough reserves at
present in Metz to hold the ST. Mi
hiel angle.
the Germans attempt to cling |
10 the salient, they will have to Sc |
cure reserves elsewhere Time must |
DC consumed IN moving them for /
ware and in an operation Of this /
natu0e speed is Of utmost import |
si ihese are not the only conei. !
0OeTaNt,-