THE LAST PHASE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15754, 28 February 1919, Page 5

THE LAST PHASE.

FOCH AS LIFE-SAVER. A oorrespon.de nt of the British "Wireless Service in France now that if hostilities had lasted ten Lays more Marshal Foeh would ha?e brought about the surrender of the entire Oer man Army, and won the greatest victory of all ages, says a writer of the New York Times. The Marshal renounced that great victory deliberately and with his eyes open, because continuation of the straggle would have cost a certain number of French and British lives, and he could not have it on hie consc^nc; lo sacrifice one life after it was in his power to make peace on terms of victory. Hence the armistice requirements were expressed in terms of decisive victory. Marshal Foch knew that the Gormans came to him with no illusions about their military condition. There was nothing to negotiate. They might have expected something less than an inexorable ultimatum, but the Marshal’s words and manner signified, “Surrender, or be destroyed.” At the time of the reception of the German Commissioners, there was a story current in Paris that the great strategist had said' a few days before; “I have not yet fought my battle.” It was plausable. Some day he may write the history of the campaign, and reveal his plans for striking the last decisive blow. What we already know is teat his snare had been laid, and the net wae being drawn closer every day. Rapidly he was narrowing the only gap through which the milion and a-half of Germ arm with their cumbrous transportation could escape. Most of their trunk lines were in his hands, and under tee fire of the guns of the Allies. The enemy could not break through in the south or in the north. H© was in imminent danger of envelopment, and apparently only a part of his army could have escaped capture or destruction. A man of Napoleonic lust for glory would have found some way to defer negotiations for an armistice while he truck tee blow that would end all. Ferdiaa.iJ Foch was never greater than in e nour when he decided that he would choose the lesser victory, and renown rather than shed the blood of thousands more of his soldiers.