Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-03-26
SURE ALLIES WILL WIN
Field Marshall French Interviewed
By American Correspondent

! Frederick Palmer, the American
iwar correspondent, who is at the al
| lies front, has been received by
Field Marshal Sir John French, com
mander in chief of the British en-
Evolutionary force. Gen. French dis
icussed military affairs freely, Mr..
Palmer writes.
Before the conservation was over
the British commander, answering al
question concerning the result OF the
war, said:
Indeed there is no doubt of the
outcome. | was never so confident OF
victory as I am today, am as con-
Gdent as Gen. Grant was when ne
took command of the army oil the
Potomac. He kept at it, and so shall
We"
"And what to you was the most
critical moment of all your compaign
in France?" was the next question
nut to Sir JhOn French.
SIN the retreat from Mons at lie
Cateau. We were in the open coun-
try in very dangerous position,
and the German ambition for the an
utilization of our little army might
have been realized If. our cavalry had
,ot haan enual TO it's task Of cover
;np the tanks of our steady disci-
rlined regulars.
Speaking of The French soldiers
the commander in chief said:
:'The French at the start were
laboring under the shadow OF their
disastrous defeat in 1870, which
night well have lei both the French
and the world in general TO think
that the German military machine
was heaven born and Irresistible.
The French already have learned
tho contrary. and the world soon
must if it has not.
81 need not speak of their spIen'
did generalship or their courage IN
Oh wing the Germans back from the
Marine. They have the elan OF Napo-
Icons time, thanks to the spur OF
renewed confidence. Man for man,
they are better than the Germans
today, and their army has contin-
ually improved since the war began
while the German army has deter!o-
rated.
ave have abundant evidence of the
German deterioration on our own
front. Their attacks lacked the for
rer vigor and spirit. NcuVe Chapel
lie was an important victory. 1t prov
ed that with strong push we could
put the enemy out Of Il well fortified
position and then hold what we gain
ed.
Speaking Of American Generals
the field Marshal sd:
"To me, Gen Jackson was more
like Cromwell than any other leader
in history" said the British com
mander. "A heroic. martial figure,
whose wonderful career came to the
happy close a soldier desires in the
hour OF victory. ! have followed all
his marches and battles with I'M
tagging admiration. He had the re-
ligious exaltation Of Cromwell, his
dash and determination and his
ready STACEY and the genius Of III
spiration his troops with his own in
domitable spirit of energy.
"But Of all your commanders,
Robert E. Lee, n his patience, his
resource. his poise, his SoundnesS OF
Judgment, and his possession Of the
qualities of high command in ali
emergencies is foremost IN my opin-
en-.
As a soldier speaking Of his enemy
Sir John French was far from de-
prcciating the fighting qualities of the
Germans. To the troops of Emperor
William he paid soldiers chivalr
Gus tribute. "But they are no great
er than other soldiers" ne said. II
attribute their valor and their well
disciplined cohersion to the fact
from the cradle they are taught dis
cipline and to worship their emperor
and the Fatherland, and that it is
their duty to die for the Fatherland
when their emperor commands.