MARSHAL FRENCH'S BOOK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 42

MARSHAL FRENCH'S BOOK.

SOME REVELATIONS. (By Cable.) LONDON, May 5. The Daily Telegraph is publishing extracts from Field-marshal French's book on the "war. Telling the story of the retreat after the disastrous stand of the Second Army at Le Cateau, Lord French writes: " Although General Joffre was anxious to take the offensive I insisted upon the -necessity for further retreat. At a discussion between our commanders at British Headquarters General Smith-Dorrien, commanding the. Second Army, expressed the opinion that the only course was to return to our re-embark, and try to land at sorrHr favourable point on the coast. I refused to listen to what was equivalent to counsel of despair." ..Lord French, continuing his story of the retreat from Mons in the Daily Telegraph, shows that the Fifth French Army commenced to retreat from the Sambre 24 hours before he (Lord French) received official intimation that General Joffre's offensive had been abandoned. Lord French says: "My duty to my country demanded that I should tao)b risk a recurrence, so I wrote to Lord Kitchener urging the necessity of my retaining complete independence of action. General Joffre, M. Poincare, Lord Kitchener, and the British Government all sent messages urgently and repeatedly, demanding that I should stand- and fight. Yet General Lanrezar was still throwing back the left flank of the Fifth Army and widening the gap between the French and the British. I retain the profoundest belief that if I had yielded to these violent solicitations the whole .of the Allied army' would have been thrown back in disorder over the Marne, and Paris would have fallen an easy prey to the Germans. My refusal brought Lord Kitchener to Paris, where I met him oil the Ist September, though I deeply re sented being called from Headquarters when a critical action was going on. Lord French says the Ambassador (Viscount Bertie) supported <fiim in protesting against Lord Kitchener's attitude . Lord French says he told Lord Kitchener he had been entrusted with the British command in France, and he alone was responsible, therefore his authority must be supreme until he was superseded, and he would not tolerate interference with his executive command though he would be glad to accept Lord Kitchener's advice and assistance. Lord Kitchener began to realise his (Lord French's) difficulties, and they came to an amicable understanding. He told Lord Kitchener that it, was impossible for him to be absent longer from Headquarters, and he quitted Paris forthwith. Lord French adds : French Ministers and generals witnessed Lord Kitchener's apparent exercise of superior authority, and the narrator says he was apprehensive of the effect in French circles and upon the morale of the British troops. Lord Kitchener, realised his mistake, and quitted Paris that night. Lord French emphasises the danger of undue interference by the Home Government with the commander in the field, and says that the utmost.pressure was brought to bear on him to make a stand, exposing the British army to the greatest danger of annihilation. He adds : " Lord Kitchener came to Paris with no other object than to insist on arresting the retreat. It was difficult to resist such pressiire, but fortunately I was able to do so." A further instalment of Lord French's book in the Daily Telegraph states that when Lord Kitchener announced his intention of taking the field and inspecting the troops the Ambassador in Paris (Lord Bertie) emphatically objected, and drafted a telegram which he proposed to send to Viscount (then Sir Edward)_ Grey at the Foreign Office, stating his views, and demanding instructions. He showed a draft of this telegram to Lord Kitchener, who asked Lord French's opinion. Lord French then said he agreed with Lord Bertie, upon which Lord Kitchener abandoned his intention; but he appeared to take grave exception to Lord French's views upon the necessity of not interfering with the commandant in the field. Lord Kitchener abruptly closed the discussion, and requested Lord French to accompany him to another room for a private interview.

Lord French says that he was anxious to lay stress on the danger of the Government interfering with the commanders in the field. The French President, Government, and generals were naturally anxious to save Paris, and the utmost pressure was brought to bear on him to make a stand in dangerous positions which would have exposed the British army to annihilation. French comrades not resent his resistance to the demands, but when Lord Kitchener and the British Government exercised still greater pressure, Lord French's position became one of the utmost difficulty.' Lord Kitchener was ignorant of the true condition of the British troops after the retreat from Mons, and mistakenly asserted that they had been reinforced in men and material. He seemed to think their losses had been exaggerated. Lord French explains the German change of direction on September 3 by saying that the enemy were unaware of the"strength of tho French army gathering north of Paris, and regarded the British army as crushed and useless as a fighting force; therefore they concentrated their centre at Chateau Thierry, in order to strike an overwhelming blow and cut the Allies in two. Such a stroke was, in fact, becoming a necessity to them. A quick decision in France was an essential part of the German plans, as they were outmarching their supplies, and the Russian menace was increasing. It was a desperate effort, but no sooner had it been launched than its fatal error was discovered.

Lord French mentions that he selected General Sir Henry Wilson as Chief of the Staff to succeed General Murray, but Sir Henry Wilson's candid expressions of opinion in favour of Ulster during'the imbroglio in the spring of 1914 caused his appointment to be vetoed. QUESTIONS BEING ASKED. Sir George Ai'thur, Lord Kitchener's biographer, writes to the press pointing out that Lord French's account of Lord Kitchener's conduct in Paris in 1914 is not borne out by telegrams and correspondence between them. Military members of the House of Commons resent Lord French's attack and intend to ask the Government if it proposes to take disciplinary action against Lord French. Questions are being asked in the House of Commons to-day respecting Lord French's statements. Some members desire a far-reaching inquiry covering these and other topics. Sir George Arthur, who is writing tho authorised life of Lord Kitchener, states that Lord French's comments on Lord Kitchener's attitude do not harmonise with the actual telegrams and letters which passed between them. Sir George Arthur says this evidence will be adduced j in due course. , i

Sir Donald Maclean, in the House of Commons, called attention to Lord French's controversial articles in the DailyTelegraph, and asked whether the Government considered their publication part of the duties of the Viceroy of Ireland. The Speaker called Sir Donald Maclean to order. He -\vas not entitled to ask a question concerning the Viceroy. The matter must be raised in ordinary debate. The Speaker refused to allow a supplementary question dealing with Lord French's position as a Field-marshal / and subject to the King's regulations. The

Speaker also rebuked Sir Donald Maclean's subsequent reference to the development of the Viceroy into journalist.