Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-07-13
new HUN BLOW
IS ABOUT DUE
Teutonic Delay Means Prepare
ton for Attack
AMERICANS ARE HURRYING
Local Boards Ordered To Speed Up
Physical Examination OF The New
Class One Men And Have Them
Ready For Call In August

Washtngton.-The present delay OF
the Germans in pressing attacks IL
France means only that they are pre-
pairing new and heavy blows. General
March, chief of staff, said in his week
ly conference with the newspaper
men.
1T is perfectly evident" he said,
that this delay is preparatory to
heavy assault in force by the German
high command. The present condi.
ton of affairs does not mean any.
thing bit that. They are reorganiz-
ing their troops, filling up losses and
preparing to try it again.
with reference to the American
program, we have embarked a mil
lion men, and now we are going after
the second million"
Another indication of the pressure
under which the American program is
being rushed to meet the German
menace came from the Provost Mar
shall Generals Office, when orders
were issued to local boards to speed
up physical examination Of the new
Class One men and have them ready
Tor call in August.
Statements of the draft program
made public in Congress indicated the
purpose of calling out at least 100000
men during August, although subse-
quent calls during the year were not
expected to exceed one-half of that
figure monthly. The orders just sent
out. however, coupled with the state
ment by the chief of staff, indicate
that hopes are entertained at the War
Department that the present rate OF
moving troops to Europe can be sub
stantially maintained for several
months.
General March said:
1.-THE situation along the various
western fronts has developed situ-
ation where nibbling by the Allied
for ces is going on all the time and
with complete success, so far as the
Allied attacks are concerned. The
most interesting Of these minor raids
from the American standpoint was
tie successful attack on Vaux. which
occurred on July /. This town was
taken by a very nicely planned Amer
lean attack, in which the 9th and 23d
Regiments of Infantry furnished the
infantry contingent and the 18th, 18th
and 18th Regiments Of Field Artillery
the attack. These troops
form part Of our second division,
which is under the command Of Major
General Omar Bundy. The successes
attained have been consolidated and
subsequent attacks Of the Germans
have not been sufficient to cause our
withdrawal from any terrain which
has been occupied.
ION the Italian front the situation
has now come down to complete &C.
cupation by Italy of the southern bank
of the Piave, with the exception of one
small sector. The size of that sector,
which is the only part of the south
hank o. the Piave still held by the
is three and half by one
and a half miles. It is on the delta
near Grisolera. Along that entire
region, which has been held by the
Austrians for a long time, the Italians
have made successful advances over
a nine-mile front, driving
the Austrians back of the river. with
the exception Of the little area l have
indicated to YOU"
In answer to question Genera!
March said: There is nothing to give
out on the subject of Russia"
$50 far as our Information goes
the Germans did not use large bodies
of cavalry in the recent drive"
1.-The matter of the use of gas in
our service has recently been con-
as has been announced to
the press, by organizing what We call
the chemical warfare service under
Major General Sibert. Gen
eral Pershirg has been directed to
make his organization conform to the
adopted here and the
Chemical Warfare Service is the title
now given to that section in France
also. In that connection the tribute
which has been paid - the fine work
of our chemists under the Bureau Of
Mines is thoroughly deserved. They
have really done unusually good work,
bat the work now coming under one
directing head will show the fine re-
suits achieved from unity of command