HOW FOCH TOOK THE HELM

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1921, Page 12

HOW FOCH TOOK THE HELM

The story of how Foch took control of the armies of the Allies is now being told in Paris by M. Stephane Lauzanne, the editor of the Matin.

On a critical Sunday March 23, 1918, Clemenceau called on President Poincare, stating that General Petain feared, they would have to evacuate Paris. On March 26 a conference took place at Doullens with the representatives of the British Government. General Foch was there, and exclaimed to the President, “Paris has nothing to do with the matter. Paris is a long way off. That is where you ought to stop the Boche. You have only to say ‘Il no passera pas,’ and he will not pass.” “But how would you stop them?” asked M. Loucheur, who had come up. “Ah.” answered General Foch,

“you know my method. I stick a seal there, another there, and yet another there. The Boche can make but little headway. I stick yet another seal there, and the Boche is pinned down. You can always pin down the Boche.” M. Clemenceau had come tip, and although he did not like General Foch, because General Foch had recently opposed him, and he did not take kindly to those who differed from him. he leaned over to M. Loucheur and signified his assent. At that moment "the British conference was over, and the Franco-British Conference began. Each, even at this solemn hour, wore his usual aspect. M. Poincare was calm, M. Clemenceau caustic, Lord Milner phlegmatic. Foch nervous, Petain impenetrable, while Haig had the drawn and tired face of a man who had not slept for three nights. Poincare, with the lucidity which even in the most anxious hours never deserts him. explained the situation, and added, with energy, that in his view they could make no other decision than to stop the Bodies where they were, and nowhere else. Field-Mar-shal Haig said he was ready to do his best and ready to defend Amiens, whereupon Foch leaped up. and. striking the table, exclaimed: “No, Field-Marshal, No! There is no question of Amiens at all. We must conquer before Amiens; we must conquer where we are.” And in a few abrupt, metallic phrases he repeated the demonstration he had made in the square of the Hotel de Ville. At this moment Milner got up and beckoned to Clemenceau, with whom he had a brief whispered dialogue. Milner was heard to repeat several times, “Th. re is the man.” Haig got up and joined them. He is a fine and noble figure, is this brave soldier. From the first day of that mortal battle he had realised the truth. There was no cohesion, and not always even agreement, between the two Allied armies. If they went on thus they were marching straight for disaster. Only one remedy existed, and that was to put above him. and above Petain. a single chief, whose orders tney would both have to obey. As far as he was concerned he would willingly act under the orders of Foch. The French Com-mandpr-in-Chief had no less patriotism than the British Commander-in-Cliief, and accepted without hesitat.on. Then M Loucheur took a sheet of paper and drew un a declaration by the terms of which General Foch had entrusted to him the duty of co-ordinating the eftorts o f the two armies. “Since yon write so well " said M. Clemenceau, “write two eonies of this declaration, and we will K 1.;„ il at once.” He did so, and the dewt signed in pencil »» u imlf-sheei of