The Washington herald., 1918-04-03
Is eliminating strugEie.

ctEuk8AEs
The decisive battle Of the war is
now being fought, in the opinion Of a
certain high American officer, as ex-
pressed to me in an interview today.
Others believe as l do. that this
Is the crucial. decisive and culminat-
ing struggle OF the world war" said
my informant. He continued:
THE call for reinforcements and
reserves is being heard on both sides
along the entire length of the front.
and 1t seems possible that practically
the entire man power of the coun-
tries engaged will be swallowed up
in this Picardy sector which is the
theater of the battle"
This officers opinion comedies with
that OF many others who have
studied the situation, and 1t is sup
ported by the testimony of American
observers who have long reported the
enemy's feverish reinforcement oppo-
site the Toul and Luneville fronts, In
both sectors the enemy is concentrat-
ing his attention upon strengthening
the barbed wire entanglements as well
as his machine gun battery positions,
which is exactly what he did two
years ago on the East front before
stripping the Russian front for re-
serves for the Somme battle in 1916.
The Americans believe the enemy
hopes wire and machine guns will
hold the line II the infantry garrisons
Of the various sectors are greatly de-
pleted.
The Toul front was quiet today
except for reciprocal artillery ac-
tivity and the usual barbed wire
patrols. During the night consider
able activity continued noticeable
behind the enemy lines. Traffic
was heavier and there was a more
frequent movement of small bodies
of troops. Enemy working parties
were reinforcing the barbed wire,
emplacing new broad belts. The
entanglements are being strength
ened by the heaviest wire Every
where the enemy is constructing
numerous machine gun strong points
resembling pill boxes" except that
they are not isolated but connected
up to the trenches.
American Flyers Intreped.
French aviation officers stationed In
Washington have received reports
from the French front praising the
skill and intrepid daring Of American
fiiers. Members of the French Avia-
ton Mission are convinced that the
American Flying Corps will be the
equal Of any force developed by the
nations at war. The reports also show
that Gen. Pershing's army has enough
French and British planes to meet
present needs
The air fighting forces of the United
States will not balance the strength
of the armies in the field until many
machines have been sent from this
country to Europe" said one Of the
French officers yesterday. The French
and British aircraft factories are short
of help and cannot be expected to
make all the aircraft necessary for
the armies aligned against Germany.
The allies factories need raw ma
terials. but they are also greatly in
need of skilled mechanics. America
will soon be making many machines
and no doubt will greatly increase the
expectation of raw materials to be
used in aircraft production.
The American flier is making a
name for himself and his nation OH
the fields of France. They are ant
pupils and have all the qualities and
characteristics essential in the man
who must fight alone and who must
be ready at all times to meet with
intrepid daring the maneuvres of
the enemy fliers. The quick wit and
cunning OF the American students
has stood them in good stead in
guarding those sections of the front
where they are now operating"