Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-26
IOBREAK GERMAN
LINES ON SOMME
Gen. Sir Henry RaWIinson
Says Enemy in France Is
=. Not InvulnerabIe.
is HAIG'S RIGHT-HAND MAN

Copyright. 1916, by the Associated Press.)
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE. October %. via London, -oc-
tober 26.-Can the German line on the
western front be broken?
Next to Gen. Sir Douglas Haig. few
British soldiers are in better posi-
lion to Judge than Gen. Sir Henry
Rawlinson. Gen. Haig's right-hand
man in the Somme offensive. Raw
Nnson is to Haig what. Sherman was to
Grant, and Jackson was to Lee.
Undoubtedly it can" was Gen. Raw
lluson's reply to the question when
the whole world is asking.
,"Rawley," as he is known, has been
lar nearly four months directing the
Aledgehammer blows of one of the
srmies under Sir Douglas command.
9he character of each commander be-
ing Impressed upon his surroundings,
Gen. Rawlinson's headquarters might
Ne recognized by the smartness OF .ne
aentries, the neatness of the grounds
and the look and sharp manner OF ms
subordinates He is hardly the accept
ID phlegmatic English type, except IN
bis bulldog tenacity, and he mas an
fhe shirt that he had as young
Ruardsman, when he was noted for
Ms abundant vitality, his love OF sports
and his professional zeal.
:! Presence Meant Action.
wherever young Raw1inson appeared
there was bound to be action. He is
still equal to putting in most of the
night and all the morning directing
Zig operation. and then finding re-
taxation from the strain in a game of
tennis.
Aoor of a cheateau, which he occupies
rs Headquarters there is an alertneSS
among the junior officers which is COM
nunicated from little room upstairs,
ard by the window and the man who
receives a visitor has lost none OF the
dapperness which distin guished him in
his youth. In that little room Gen.
many conferences. and the result of
Them seems to be invariably to attack
again.
:. The commander-in-chief is f1fty-hve
Snd the army commander f1fty-two. Of
Acers of the same generation in the
Did British regular army, they have
known each other nearly thirty years.
They have played polo together and
fought together in India. Egypt and
enultitudes of men in the greatest bat
Gle of all time.
There is the same good fellowship and
accord that there was when they were
Junior officers. Both came to France
ut the outset of the great war, Raw
linson as commander of division,
Haig commander of a corps.
Offensive Planned Last March.
!: TT was last March," said Gen. Raw
3inson to the Associated. Press corre-
spondent. that the present offensive
sras planned Sir Douglas and myself
looked over the ground and I received
orders to prepare the men and mate
ffal for my part of the enterprise. In
stead Of undertaking premature Of
.3ensive with our unready army. it was
Welded to take over more front from
The French.
1.-The decision was most fortunate and
4 tribute to the judgment of the French
that they could hold the Germans at
yerdun. Not only could they hold the
Germans. but they were able, after
giving the enemy the severest handling
us in the Somme offensive with result
which we all know"
They say that the Germans hoped
10 force you to attack premature1y last
February" the correspondent sug-
gested.
E"Nothing could better have suited
heir purpose" was the reply. than to
have induced us to attack before we
were ready; They had thinned their
lines in the east and massed their
reserves in the west. Happily, owing
TO French tenacity and pluck, we were
Given time to wait for new guns which
were beginning to arrive from England