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Show IL a WAR EXPERTS M0ST0PJIMIST1G GENERAL BELIEF IS THAT THIS WILL BE LAST GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF-FENSIVE OF THE YEAR. Express Hope That Allied Forces Defending De-fending Marne Will Inflict D :feat Similar to That Sufferni By the Austrians. Washington. Reports of the 'German 'Ger-man drive reaching here lead army experts to hope that the allied forces defending the Marne will be able to iullict. a defeat upon the Germans similar to that suffered by the Austrians Aus-trians in their vain efforts at the Piave. Because of the general belief that the offensive is the last the Germans can undertake this year, and because General Foch for the first time since he assumed general command has an adequate force under him, interest here is at fever heat. Soon after press reports announced the initiation of the drive, President Wilson called upon Secretary of War Baker at the war department. At that time Secretary Secre-tary Baker had received no 'late dispatches dis-patches from the American headquarters. headquar-ters. Although it was reported that President Pres-ident Wilson's visit with Secretary Baker had to do with the part which the Unitd States may play In the aid to be sent to Siberia, no confirmation was available. Officials interested In the Siberian question stated that all matters In relation to . the Russian question were proceeding favorably. An announcement in regard to the economic mission is not expected until members of the mission have reached Vladivostok. Surprise Element Lost. It is pointed out that the excellence excel-lence of the intelligence reports of the American forces would indicate that the German attack did not take the Americans by surprise and the early report that the American forces were so disposed that they were able quickly to organize, an effective counterattack, coun-terattack, gave rise to the belief that the Germans soon would be checked. The new German drive is looked upon by many close students of German Ger-man strategy as a part of a new-peace new-peace offensive. It is held that the Germans hope to push their lines forward for-ward to a point where they can concentrate con-centrate many high powered guns upon Paris. To Frighten Paris. It is pointed out that Germany may have construed that her only hope of forcing the allies to 'consider a peace move at this time would be to place Paris in danger of being reduced re-duced to asli.es. From propaganda sent out from German quarters' it is evident that in the coming month, great efforts will be made to weaken the will to win among the allies. For that reason, an attack against the French and the Americans is intended intend-ed to demonstrate that the new forces on the French battlefield can never he depended upon to hurl the Germans Ger-mans across the Rhine. |