Arizona republican., 1918-07-20
Though Success Has Been Startling Present Drive by
 General Foch $ Forces Re garded as Minor Operation
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

Republican A. p. Leased Wire1 WASHINGTON, July 19-War de- partment officials expect the real counter move against the Germans to De launched later this year. This was disclosed to members of the house mil itary committee by General March, chef of staff, who indicated that the employment of possibly eight Ameri- can divisions in the present double battle on the Aisne- -Marne- Reims front would not affect materially plans to huri overwhelming man power into the ] great struggle to come.
 It was made plain that the smash ing attack of Franco-American forces on the Aisne-M -Marne line is as yet re- garded as only minor operation. The success of the drive launched yester day by General Foch, however, has al- ready been startling Official reports rom Paris tonight said 17O00 pris- oners and 36O guns had been captured.
 Berlin Admits Advances
 The Berlin statement admitted French advances. but ignored Ameri- can participation and claimed 10000 prisoners had been taken by the Ger mans in their drive launched last Mon day. Apparently the enemy comman- ders dare not admit to the German
 people that American armies are al
 ready fighting over a long front and
 scoring repeated successes over vet eran German troops
 Reports late in the day from London
 and Paris indicated that further ad
 vanceS had been made by the Franco
 American forces during the day. Off,
 cial advices from General Pershing led
 to the hope that Soissons, nearly 10
 miles inside the German lines. night ihpfOFn 1 h1 ir .,ll ;1l
 within short time. Rumors that it had already fallen and 30.000 addition al German prisoners had been taken were in circulation, but no additional advices from General Pershing had ar rived at a late hour.
 Secretary Bakers Statement MT. Baker indicated the high hopes of war department officials in issuing
 the following statement:
 The attention of the world is fo- | cused on the tremendous counter blow being delivered by General Foch. Grad
 ual extension of these operations to
 the east is indicated in the press dis patches, but as yet is not officially confirmed. The gain on the front of , the original counter thrust has been deepened. narrowing the salient, and making the position of it's German oc- . cupants less and less tenable
 We have no report of the capture of
 Soissons. but the battle has been rag Q ing at that part of the front and the . fall of Soissons seemed 70 be indicated by the progress made at the time of i the latest official dispatch: =. The significance. of this movement n lies in the fact that the supreme com = mander evidently feels that gthe allied r forces are now sufficiently strong to e justify vigorous offensive action" <
 Anticipate German Retreat n Staff officers believe another AS . hours might see the Germans beating = a nasty retreat from the salient they T now hold south of the Marne and pos
 sibly from the whole bend they forced a in the allied line when they struck on e the Chemin des Danes last May and h forced their way to the Marne Unless 1t the Franco-American troops are O brought to a halt definitely before y Sunday night, it is predicted that the
 enemy will be forced to fall back. Even
 if he is successful in evading the jaws
 of the closing trap, he will be com
 palled to abandon vast quantities :of
 war material and will lose many pris-
 oners in making good his escape, it is
 believed.
 IT For the first time the German official statement made no claim of having ad : " vanced on the line they assailed Mon ' day.
 There is evidence the energy of
 France, Great Britain and the United
 States is being concentrated on getting ready for later blows
 Il; To Extend Draft Age Limits u The enlarged army plan Secretary ". le Baker told congress he, was working K out is taking shape It Is certain thai ;s extension of the draft age limits are tc is s be asked.
 'u One indication of what is beins ,a worked out came recently when it wa. .I announced in parliament that British is ships had carried in excess of 300 00t 10 American troops to France and tha ,lt British ships would be availabl e. through the coming months to trans l. port AmericnS at an even increased
 rate.
 ed Two other phases of operation on tn h. western front are attracting wide at It. tention here. One of these is the sue
 cession of local blows being delivere, ve by French and Italian forces along tn es. fronts north and south of the Marnt ve where the enemy made his only impor in. tant gains during the present week.
 withdrawal is forced by the Aisne he Marne advance of the allied forces it id clear that the French and Italians ar e. ready to take quick advantage of tn w, enemy's Reorganization and hamme in his retiring columns hard. ut. Western Capture Important Ter The other is along the British iron
 The capture of Meteren' today adds an
 other to a score of almost daily locs
 advances the British are marking up ID There is a widespread belief a Britis N counter attack Is to be expected. Shoul
 the Germans be forced to draw off re
 Inducements from northern lines t n- meet the situation on the Aisne salien as 1t is regarded as certain that he wi 2S feel the weight of the British army. )e- -O-- le- NEW PLANE A WONDER of LONDON, July 19.-The newspaper It. today give prominence to a report of in new type of British airplane whicl ,a- having been tested at the front wit
 the greatest sIIccess is ahnut to b