Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-11-08 | Page 8 | Half Huns' Army is. Concentrated before Yankees

HALF HUNS9 ARMY IS CONCENTRATED BEFORE YANKEES By CHARLES H. GEASTOY. (New York Times-Chicago Tribune Cable, Copyright.) PARIS, Nov. 7. The following comes to me from a military authority not connected con-nected with the American army: "In front of the American armies in the Argon ne and on the Meuee is concentrated con-centrated practically 50 per cent of the total of the Germans' strength. That estimate is arrived at by taking into consideration the fact that the German troops, of which the number is very large, includes the pick of the German army, considerably more than half of their total artillery and considerably more than half of their machine gun strength. Furthermore, the country is most difficult diffi-cult on the whole front. "The Americans have to fight for ev-eryinch ev-eryinch of ground and kill the fellow-that fellow-that is holding it. Machine guns are as thick as rifles on an ordinary front and are handled by the most experienced machine ma-chine gunners in the world. When these conditions are considered, it is obvious what an important part the American army is playing in the final assault on militarism. Marshal Foch, realizing that this was the most difficult and vital sector sec-tor of the fronh, gave the post of honor to the Americans. "This sector heretofore was considered Impracticable as a place where an offensive of-fensive could te maintained. One of the groatest battles of the war the European battle of the wilderness is now being fought by Pershing. While entirely lacking lack-ing in spectacular characteristics, the operation op-eration is proving successful, and it is a battle that will loom large when the history of the war is written."