The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-25
GENERAL FRENCH
SEES VICTORY
FOR THE ALLIES.
IS Visited At His Headquar-
ters By Associated Press
Correspondent.
never DOUBTS OUTCOME
TELLS REPORTER HOW He MADE
HIS RETREAT FROM MONS
SECURE.
never DOUBTS OUTCOME

Frederick Palmer, who is at the
front in France for the Associated
Press, sends the following dispatch:
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE. (via London), March 25.-l
It was in the drawing room OF tho
house in which he makes his office
that Field Marshal Sir John French.
commander-in-chief of the British ex-
speditionary forces on the Continent,
received the correspondents today and
discussed the military situation. Be-
fore the conversation was over the
British commander answering q ques-
tfon concerning the result of the war,
said: Indeed there is no doubt of tho
outcome. / was never SO confident of
victory as / am today. / am as conf
dent as General Grant was when no
took command of the Army of the Po-
tomac. He kept at 1t and so shall
we."
Il what were the most important
contributing factors making your re-
treat from Mons secure against over
whelming odds?" Sir John was asked
The dogged tenacity of our little
regular army which contested every
foot of the ground as we fell back"
was the answer Not once did our SOL
diers loose heart. They understood
that we were not defeated, but MAX
ing strategic retreat before heavy
odds, and that all the punishment
which they could inflict on the enemy
by cool and stubborn resistance from
point to point was no less valuable to
the ultimate object than If they were
advancing.
Next in Importance was the work
of the cavalry in aggressiveness, and
aiertness in preventing the cavalry Of
the enemy getting around us. Our
cavalry established decided superb
ority over that of the enemy which was
of vital assistance
And what to you was the most crit
ical moment of all your campaign in
sFrance?" was the next question.
ON the retreat from Mons to LIE.
cateau. We were in the open coun.
try in dangerous position and the
German ambition for the annihilation
of our little army might have been
realized IL our cavalry had not been
equal TO Its task of covering the flank
of our steady disciplined regulars"
Has trench warfare changed the
qualities required of soldier?"
NO" he replied. Human nature
remains the same, and It is the man
who gives and takes the blows what
ever the nature of the weapon Cour-
age, discipline and tenacity are still
the dominant elements of success"
II think there has been an inclina.
s1on " SAas6efdte Lue importance or
artillery, Sir John answered. "No
doubt of the three arms. artillery has
increased in relative Importance. The
weapons which decide the day are the
rifle and machine gun, and the. in
fantry Is still the queen OF battle"
To the troops of Emperor William,
he paid soldiers chivalrous tribute.
But they are no greater than other
soldiers" he said. 81 attribute their
valor and their well disciplined CO.
shesion to the fact that from the cradle
they are taught discipline and to wor-
ship their enemy and the Fatherland,
and that 1t is their duty to die for the
Fatherland when the Emperor COM
mands."
AS to the conduct of the Germans,
is it is as bad as represented ?" he
was asked.
Have they constantly broken the
rules of civilized warfare?"
YES" he replied, Z" in many in
stances their conduct has been bad
very, bad.
know that it has been. but it has
varied. It has seemed to depend on
commanders. II commander ap-
the main German conduct depends
upon the character of the German gen.
erals"
.And the French army. how does It
compare with the German?"
THE French at the start were la
boring under the shadow of their dis
astrous defeat in 1870 which might
we'll have led both French and the
world in general to think the German
military machine was heaven born
!. and irresistible, The French already
have learned tAe contrary. and the
e--alssssoon must. IL 1t has not Man
for man they are better than the Ger
amns today and their army has con-
1tinuaIly improved since the war be-,
gan while the German army had de
teoriated. We have abundant avi
dence of their scattered deterioration
on our own front. Their attacks lack
their former vigor and spirit. Neuve
Chapelle proved that with strong
push we coSld put the enemy out OF
awel fortified position and then hold
what we gained. One of the crafty.
ing things to US is how we'll our terri
torials have done once their period
of preparation was over and they had
an opportunity. AS to the Canadians,
II can not pay too high tribute to
them"
QUARTERLY MEETING.
Rev. o. D. King, district superin-
aF the nJ.t-ta.