Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-27
HAIG'S SELECTION rs
ARISTOCRATIC VICTORY
Confined from Pnre one

Continued from PAGE One
Haig, a born aristocrat, entered the
army from oxford. He, too. set himself
TO study Like Robertson, he has served
both In india and South Africa. Like him
he has made the army his sole working
interest in life, and like him he Is
sharp on larger strategy. He has worked
for years hand in glove with General
French. whose chief of staff he was in
the Boer war The two men have been
the closest personal friends since then;
so far as any one knows, the friendship
remains still unbrokeu. II Is not at all
unlikely that French was allowed to
choose his successor or to have voice
| In the choice.
At any rate. 1t was Eaig and not Rob
ertson who was chosen for field marshal
| In France when French handed In his
| resignation and returned 20 England. No
| one outside Of the intimate councils OF
| this secret and hidden war can either ap-
| prove or criticise the choice. II lay be-
| tween two men who have done great work
| as subordlnates. but who have been un-
| tried in high command; and it Is, like all
changes In the British army, largely an
| experiment. In the present condition OF
| affairs Joffre and the French General
| staff must have indorsed Haigs appoint
rent.
BLUE BLOOD TRttMPHs.
| And other things beinE equal lu' ld'
1 that Haig was of aristocrattc origin ana
| Robertson Of humble birth may have
| turned the scale. This is not said in
| criticism Of the British. either. The class
! system still lives among them; they be-
| lieve In the governing class; and while
| strong for legal democracy, all classee
rather dlstrust social democracy. They
| like to be led by n gentleman. One OF
| Haigs class will always find himself bet
| ter followed by the English than one OF
| Robertson's class. This period OF a des-
perate fight for mn empire is no time
| for tho British TO stop and consider
| minor social reforms.
| From the first gun OF the retreat from
Mons HaiE has made good I'm every ca
| pacity intrusted to him. BY quick and
| clever maneuvertng he eNtricated his
corps at La Cateau, the most dangerous
pinch in the retreat. lie led the van In
the attack on the Asne. the maneuver of
the British army most praised by the
| French military critics. The shift of the
| British army from the line of the Aisne
| to the new battle position before Fpres
| was one of the prettiest and neatest
shifts of the war. Robertson was al that
| time chief of transport. and TO him be-
| longs part OF the credit; the rest belongs
! to liaig whose first corps arrived at the
| front days before the Germans expeCed
II.
At that time, as students of the war
may remember. Rawlinson's immortal Tth
| Division. which had screened the with
| drawa of the Belgians from before Ant
werp. was holding a very thin line IN
front of Ypres. 1t was nearly gone as a
| fighting force when Haig arrived with the
1st Corps EIais Incorporated the remains
into his corps and proceeded to lock the
line directly before Tpres. This was the
position picked for the heaviest German
attacks Two or three weeks of steady
slaughter followed. 1t was a fearful
strain upon the army and Its comman-
dera. It Is said that at one time or an
other every corps and division comman-
der in the lot lost hope-except Haig
He was rock all through.
HAIG, THE ROCK
The big test came on october 81, 4
day very vital I'm the history of the Brit
sh Empire. on that day the Germans
made their most desperate attempt &c
break through, They did. In fact break
the line, and seemed to be pouring towarc
Calais with a clear field. In the hour oi
the greatest danger ii shell struck Haig's
headquarters, burst inside the house anc
killed or wounded every one on the staff
! HaiE stood Just outside the explosive area
| OF the she'll but the shock knocked hin
over and rendered him unconscious for at
hour. That was the point when Genera
French came personally to the line anc
made the dispositions ending in the thrust