The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-23
FOCH PAYS TRIBUTE
TO AMERICAN BOYS
r,oyd Gibbons, Wounded War
Correspondent, Bears Mes
sage From French Chief.
WARNS THE OPTIMISTIC
Seasoned Observer Says Ger
mans Will Try Insidious
Peace Drive.

rqovd Gibbons war correspondent for
IN. Chicago Tribune, 10 back from the
,,on, with an eye shot out. and one
arm In a sling. and other wounds which
s,oye that the men who cable US the
ntvs Of the big night are occasionally In
q He was invaded home to recover
nom his hurts. but his real e<rand Is
70 drive home to the American people.
IA the lectures he will give. t&o warn
inss, TO Wit:
allied successes on the Marine. and,
Be prepared to Withstand the winter
reace drive that Germany will surely
make over here by way OF the neutral
Countries IL she fails, as she will, to get
a military decision this year.
There is nothing more dangerous
than the American public's comfortable
cp,imism over what too many call the
allied drive, but which was not really
. drive" he said yesterday at the Ritz
Carlton.
finds German Morale stil Good.
There was no such thing intended as
an allied dSive this summer" he said.
at wasn't possible. What Foch set out
10 do and what he did was to disrupt
the German pldUb, ctithc ~ thOih hCsO
and there. keep them from advancing.
The American people must not make
the mistake Of thinking that the morale
OF the Germans is broken. The morale
Of the Boche soldiers fighting at tho
front is excellent: wouldn't say It Is
as Ane as that Of the Allies. but II 10
s,u hirh. Those who lose their nerve
are. I suppose. sent to the rear. whore
they are put at digging roads and work
like that
But there Is no doubt that Germany
IA sick Of the war. and that IL where
our danger comes in, Feelers will begin
10 come out to us through Holland and
Switzerland, suggestions from the neu-
tral countries that Germany is ready to
make treaties she will give UP Alsace
and Lorraine, she will do this and that
The word will be spread through this
country in that subtle way OF which
Germany Is master-and then 10 the
time FOR America to stiffen her back.
and clench her fist, and say. No de-
cision but a military decision|
"Germany's appeal will be macss 10
the weak sisters. those people whe may
say, Look at our casualty lists-they
we're big In the Marine fighting. and now
much bigger they will be when the
inn 10 be a good boy; let's call It off,.
.pepend upon It, Germany doesn't
want 10 meet the drive the Allies are
preparing for in 1919. and she will try
every art to develop as many Lord
Lansdownes in this country as she can
German Dream Not DispelleA.
Mr. Gibbons paused to adjust the ban
dase over the place where his left eye
was before that day In the Bois de Bel
)eau IF this war ends in some scraps
OF paper It will have been. fought In
vain" he resumed. Germany can tear
IN treaties as she has before. The dan
ger is Germany's dream of Mitteleuropa.
the alliance between Germany and AUS
tia. Unless we gam a military dect-
don which breaks that alliance. destroys
that dream, Germany can tear UP any
treaties she may sign and In ten years
start another war which Will again
threaten the peace OF the world.
Mr.. Gibbons brought with him let
ter from Gen. Foch, Of which the foi-
lowing Is a rough translation:
MONSIEUR: understand that you are
going to the United States to give lee
lures on what you have seen on the
French front. No one is more qualified
than you to do this. after your brilliant
conduct in the Bots. de Belleau.
The American army has proved It.
self TO be magnificent in spirit. In It's
real worth and in vigor: 1t has contrib
uted largely to our successes. II you can
thus be the echo of my opinion i am
cure you will serve a good purpose.
Very sincerely yours.
Of. FocH."
1t was the splendid dash and visor
OF the Americans, Mr.. Gibbons said,
that carried the armies forward In many
Instances on the Marine.
Tribute to French Soldiers.
There are no better fighters in the
world than those little French poilus."
he said. They are Incompatible. But
they have fought four years, and the
war has become plain duty to them and
nasty, dirty, bloody work. You know
war gets on your nerves In time"
Mr. Gibbons said there was no thrill
In the world like that which comes from
being an officer and commanding men.
You see" he laughed. II had taste
OF II in the Bots de Belleau. Corre-
spondents wear an officers belt when
they wish-they are part OF the INTEL
lisence Department. I often took mine
of because to get the feeling Of the
war the point of view Of the men, you've
got to line no at mess ana 30 forth with
them, and II they see your officers belt
ney won't talk freely.