Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1918-04-04
GEN. FOCH is
GREATEST OF
ALL GENERALS
HERO OF MARINE WHO NOW HEADS
ALLIED ARMIES A REMARK
ABLE OFFICER.
IS A SLAVE TO WORK

WASHINGTON. ID. G., April 4.-Rccent
dispatches from Paris and London indi-
cate that the choice of supreme com
mander To lead the great nter-offens. We
of the allies against the Germans has fall
en- upon General Ferdinand Foch who had
represented France in the Supreme War
Council Of the allies
General Foch has been one of the most
brilliant French commanders during this
war. Today he Is recognized a. probably
the abest strateg.st engaged on either side
Of the conflict. The great victory Of the
battle Of the Marne was largely due III his
strategical genus. Ii was he who perceived
That there must he gap between the
fri~sIan Guard and the Saxon army. and
who gathered enough artillery to force
both armies to separate and retreat
SIX weeks after the battle of the Marine.
when Antwerp had fallen and the gallant
Be glan army wa making IT, stand nf the
y ser. with the iamun~ seventh division VI
the British Cavalry holding the fra~hy An.
trenches nj Ypre~. Foch rushed the French
Tenth army 10 the rescue iu~i in the nick
oi Tine. The invaders were thrown back
across the User the ~luice gate~ were
opened, thousands IT German. were
drowned, and an impa~~uhle barrier III
Hooded marshes paced athwart the road
10 Calais
Most writers who have dealt with forh
agree on this "a one of his paramount
'haracteri~tic~-the Napoleonic mode of
military thunght. This tendency of French
writers 10 compare Foch with Napoleon l.
= mu ated, probably from the fact that
General Foch j. a profound student of the
tor>ican: that h has read everything
written about his campaigns, and that he
has made u special study of his strategy.
Bat he has not confined himself 10 this
authority, and on more than one occasion
has asserted that despite the fact that
warfare has been revolutionized since then.
"A thoughtful cons deration OF the cam-
paigns of Caesar would not be without
profit for the modern solder.
General Foch Is in the 61th year. Like
Joffre, he a. a mountaineer and south
erner As a boy Of 10, he fought IN the
Franc PrussiaE war, and aterward re-
turned to take up his studies al the Ecloe
Polytechnique. Although he gained rapid
promotion as an off Ger. his remarkable
ability as an Instructor led To his deyoting
much of his time to that work, and he
Eventually became director of the Ecoe de
Gnerre. One Of his favorite quotations in
hi~ lectures and classes was "A battle lost
j n battle which yon think you cannot
win"
Foch may he described a. a soldiers
soldier. To the general French public he
was almost unknown when the present war
broke out. But ii he was not known al
home he was recognized abroad, and Ger
man authorities have not failed To con
cede him to be zone of the few real strate-
gi>t> in the armies of the allies"
As Napoleon used to do, Foch makes il
his bus ness to get into personal contact
with hS soldiers. lie does not hobnoh
with them. there l. no Joking or familiar
| iiy. but he goes into the trenches and the
occupied villages and looks the men over
informally. inspect food or equipment.
makes useful comment or two. drops a
behind him enthusiasm and respect. Ii
ila~ ncch uetlafeu IN lhe frtnrh writer
that Foch knows the human element in The
French army better than any other man
living.
| But W th all his knowledge of men. h )
power of inspiring them, Foch is quiet. re-
tir NJ. non communicative, with no taste
for meeting people in social intercourse
lliS LIE has been OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
work and work. lie has the reputation of
being driver. lie used to he particularly
severe on ~hirkerS in the war college, and
such. no matter what their influence. had
no chance of geii NJ diploma leading To
an attractive staff position when Foch
was rector of the school
| Foch was one Of the high Officers in
France who was not in the least snrpr sed
| by the war and who had personally been
holdn. himself in readiness for il for
,ycars. He had often declared that great
war was inevitable and had continually
urged that French Officers should take
every step within their power to get them
selves and the troops ready for active
service.