AMERICA’S PROGRESS

Evening Star, Issue 16778, 5 July 1918, Page 6

AMERICA’S PROGRESS

\ HAND OYER HAND. MILLION MEN IN: FRANCE, THE RIGHTING TEST. GERMANY AND .ITALY. [By Ciuticxts.] The latest returns of American troops in France make extremely comforting leading. It may bo recalled that, in a cable dated Juno 16, America claimed to have sent 860.000 men to Franco. Only six days later a cable dated Juno 22 claimed that 960.000 men had been despatched; and now, in a cable dated July 2, or 10 days later still, President Wilson announces that the total bus risen to over a million. Ho Uie number of American troops in France seems to have jumped from £OI,OOO to 1,000,000 in a little more than a fortnight, representing a despatch of troops at tho rate of nearly 100,1X10 per week. This is a staggering and hitherto unheard ol rate of transportation, especially in the face of linking submarines; but that tho inlereiice is not greatly exaggerated is shown by tin* letter of 31 r Baker {American Secretary of War) to President Wilson, in which the former makes the definite statement that 2/6,382 men were despatched in June. That represents an official claim to tho despatch of nearly 70.0C0 troops per week during Juno, and as the raid ol despatch is steadily rising it is probable that this tigui's is now considerably exceeded. In any case, we have an official claim to the despatch of over a quarter of a million troops per month, and if this is kept up there should be a million and u-hail American troops in Franco by tho end oi August. That surely ought to put tho Allies out of danger. It may be that the next two months will be an anxious time for the Allies; but tho American forces already in tho field will play a powerful part in deciding tho issue, and it is proba"ble that the German General Stalf will see reason by this to revise their belief that America would not field, and that she could not, in any case, play an effective part in the war. They will doubtless study tho latest figures with keen interest, even' if with small satisfaction. It is rather amusing to reflect that it is often held to bo little less than flat blasphemy to criticise, at this distance from tho scent' of action, men who go so ridiculously astrav in their estimates of human nature and strategical possibilities. ANOTHER SORT OF REJOINER.

German sneers at the part America would play in the war aro met with a rejoinder of another kind by tho neat little success scored by the Americans on the Marne. There have been many, even on the allied side, who have been openly apprehensive as to whether the Americans would prove themselves lighters. To anyone with a. moderate acquaintance with military history and insight into human nature these fears were merely ludicrous. During the American Civil War the comparatively ill-trained American soldiers stood up to punishment and iossos as hcarv as anything recorded in the battles of the world, and they proved themselves nmeng the most intelligent a-a welt as the most ftub•horn of fighters. They taught the world lessons in tactics which v.v had to pr.'in fully relearn in the Boer War half a. ecu-t'-rv later. In China, deriive the Boxer rhteg, where the troops of ; 11 the leading nations fought side h.v side, the nn’nh n of nu.gt impartial observers ww that tho

Americans .“bowed themselves the most intelligent fi. Titers in rite field. It <;umot he ton often repeated that the most formidab'o fighter is net tho rir-w-witted. ch'd-hopp.-r type, hut the vi hj -M : g.-nh. bre.lnv. hi' hly-.dnmg type, full of nervous energy. Wc shall son the Americans in tins war ■display in tactics all that enterprise, originality, ingenuity, and power of nrg.'misdion which they <(i--ph*v in civil life. We see ft. ell manifesto-.! in the Utile enternriep or the Alar to. “The America"* found a. French mason, a builder, who knew tho interior of almost every house lof the village of Vu'xi. Scnl ing p-Tf'e-s were sent out- night after night, thus craftiily drawing tlm enemy’-- n'.achine-guvi fire. When everything was known the "Mack was launched. There were 4TCO Huns in Vmix when the A re< r'ce n bombardment commenced, but nil bed, 7 CO Ivd fled Ivafor-c the ‘donghhovs’ went over (be top.” The Americans advanced on a fre-d of a. mile ;;”d a-lrdf (■’ a depth of 1.809 rank, capturing the village of Vcux, tho ri'i dihciing v ---v: -. rip.-] a : ’0 nrirnne’-s in 40 minutes. Jdm German los-e* in killed and wo-uuded ji.to reported to leave been verv hpavv. and (hev will probably find fighting with the .Amoripms a- verv costly b’-sinoss owing to the 1 a tier having cultivated their Tooting, Tho Arpcn'rnns h-ve now gained mute a, s-rieo of local tactical, snoco-ses. and their total losses to the end of Jit no mimbcr R. 165. TDK GFB.MAN BAG.

Possibly in order to allay the anxiety of the Gorman public over tho delay in t!\o resumption of the western offensive, tho German Government have issued a statement of thc’t captures since Man-h 21. Tliev claim that their re >- ---is rs number 191,454, exclusive of wounded, £94,939 of these being British ansi 89,099 French • and the remainder Fca-tufrueac. Belgians, and Americans. They also claim 2,476 guns and 15.024 machine amis. No doubt they are making the total a< imposing as possible: but it is probably not great! v exaggerated. Mr YVinsl-on rliurrliiil (Minister for Munitions) has admitted that we lost nearly IXOO guns and between 4,G00 and 5,(300 imvhino guns in the Somme reverse, and nltbnugh the German .claiirs have been eendeinniNi -as- exlrnvagant, they have never been met- with detailed refutation. Such lot-c-ei as these would help to discount tho .American reinforcements in - advance; but for the probability that, in view of the magnitude of tho German carealties in (ho atta- ks which, have failed, losses on both ridt-s aro fairlv equal. It. is noteworlhv that wo have hoard nothing more or’Hlio Portuguese since thm’r reverse on the Armciitieres front. Donlitless they liavo Locii removed to a quiet sector.

AIK RKFRISALS. General Maurice states that the Air Ministry has created an independent air force primarily for the purpose of attacking Germany, and ho admits that German communiques show that the enemy have “ been forced to send back more and more guns and aeroplanes in response to the population’s persistent demands for protection.” It is not so long since Colonel llepiuctou, the mouthpiece in tho Press of the military party to which General Maurice belongs, or used to belong, was protesting against aeroplanes being diverted from the lighting front for tho pin-pose of raiding Germany, lie overlooked the fact that a lew German aeroplanes employed in occasional raids on London were compelling us to divert hundreds of anti-aircraft guns, and a quite disproportionate number of battleplanes, to guard London and other towns against them. To allow them to do this without reprisals was to put a premium upon nnscrupulousnoss. On the other hand, by retaliation wo are able, with quite a small number of aeroplanes, to compel the enemy to employ hundreds of anti-aircraft guns and many squadrons of aeroplanes in defence of their own towns. This at least redresses tho balance. Tho attacks upon hospital ships show that .sweet reasonableness is thrown away upon tho German in his present state of mind. The only wav to touch his feelings is through his hide. LOCAL ITALIAN -SUCCESSES.

The Italians continue to improve their position on the Asiaeo Plateau by means of local successes. They have recaptured Monte Val-Bella, Col del Roaso, and Col dc Chele, with nearly 600 prisoners and some guns, trench mortars, and material. They are also clearing our the Austrians from the marshes and lagoons on the right bank of tho Piave, near its mouth. It is claimed that the area held by the enemy has been considerably diminished, that they have been pushed three miles further from Venice, ana that 1,900 prisoners have been taken, with some trench mortars and machine guns. But perhaps the most siguili-

cant piece of news is that General Von Below has been appointed to the chief command of the enemy on the Italian front. Von Below is the German leader who led the German divisions in the attack on the Isonzo which resulted in such a disastrous Italian defeat. Together with Ludcndorff’s reported visit to Italy and the delay in the resumption of the German offensive-in Franco, it suggests that the Germans aro contemplating an attempt tu restore the position on the Italian front. If they come to the conclusion that a do-, cisive success in France is practically hopeless—and Von Kuhhnann’s recent speech in tho Reichstag, together with his retention in office, render this by no means im-probable--their true strategy is to shift a largo body of troops to tho Italian front and attempt to end tho year with a decisive success over tho Italians. Such a course would bo a more genuine cause of anxiety to the Allies than a resumption of the western offensive.