The Sentinel=record., 1918-04-04

Washington, April with the
battle of Picardy brought to stand
still for the time being at least. and
the initial momentum of the German
drive overcome. military observers
here were plainly puzzled tonight by
the fact that a great counter assault
had not developed. The psychological
moment of the counter stroke under
the rules of strategy, they think is
passing, If it has not already passed,
without a recorded movement of the
allied forces toward throwing back
the exhausted foe before he has had
timeto dig himself In.
Officers here admit frankly. that
they do not know what the situation
at the front is. If any report has
come from Generals Bliss or Pershing
that would serve the defensive of the
allies, II IS q carefully guarded secret.
Naturally nothing would be made pub
lie regarding such adyices even with
out Secretary Bakers order of yester-
day shutting down absolutely on w1r
department announcements regarding
operations In France. That order has
served. however. to make officers
even more cautious about discussing
the situation informally.
1t is possible. it was suggested that
the plan of campaign mapped out by
General Foch is of far greater scope
than would be involved in an effort
to hurl the enemy back to his old
lines The German defenses there,
which successfully stemmed the
British assault in 1916, are still in
tact and even If the allies we're sue
cessfu in rushing the German lines
back over the twenty or thirty mile
zone. he has wrested from them. they
would face those defenses when their
owh organization was badly democrat
ized by their advance and their men
showing the wear and tear of a pro-
longed offensive.
For this reason some officers were
inclined to look elsewhere for the
aggressive campaign to which they
are pinning their faith.
They have counted upon the crea-
tion of unified army Under General
Foch to produce offensive operations
and they see nothing in the situa-
ton at present to warrant the CON
clusion that the allies have not the
necessary reserve forces or sup
ports
1T was suggested that the new pur-
pose of employing American troops to
fill out allied fighting divisions might
have some bearing upon the situation.
IL General Foch is laying his plans
for continuous operations of an ag-
gresive character, he would need to
be CERTAIN OF his reserves and the de-
tailed plans for employment of
American troops would have to be
worked out.
Speeding up of American troop
movements to France is engrossing
attention here now President Wilson
held his weekly conference with the
beads of the war making and prOduc-
tion branches of the government to-
day and it is understood that ways
and means for throwing the full re-
sources of the United States this year
were talked over.
One immediate step to that end is
known 10 be in contemplation. 1t has
to do with the calling to the colors
Of the 100000 men which it already
has been announced will be mobolized
through the selective service ma
chinery during the year Assurances
have been given that no great with
drawals of men from agricultural and
industrial life would be made at one
time. but the indications are that a
statement now being prepared regard
ing the number of men to be called
out first under that plan will show
that a large force will be moloiized
this month than had been intended