Evening star., 1918-01-07
I'VE have THEM,'
ASSERTS IAN HAY
| author of "The First Hundred
Thousand" Lectures for
War Relief Fund.

I'VE have them, and we know tt, and
they know it!'
These were the words Maj. Ian Hay
Beth OF the Argyle and Sutherland
Highlanders, author of THE First Hun
dred Thousand" used in summing up
the situation on the western front in
his lecture delivered last night at the
Belasco for the benefit Of the Wash
ington branch of the British-American
war relief fund.
Maj Beith's address was simple,
straightforward. inspiring and. above
all, optimistic. The dry Scots hunor
that has made his books. written under
tho name Ian Hay" SO popular wher-
ever English is heard. cropped up only
occasionally. but was appreciated in
proportion to its infrequency. One of
the largest and most disting guished
audiences ever gathered together in
the National Capital completely filed all
available seats and standing room
when Brig. Gen. ]. d. McLachlan. mill
tary attache of the British embassy
and formerly lieutenant colonel in
another regiment of the Highland bri-
Eade, introduced the speaker Gen. Nc
Lachlan's blue undress uniform. the
active service Highland garb in which
Maj. Beth appeared. and the numerous
uniforms of the United States and of
the allies in the audience lent a dis
tinctly military touch to the whole
affair.
Graphic Picture Of Conditions.
The lecturer showed many war photo
graphs. diagrams and maps on the
screen that. coupled with the verbal
results of his own powers and oppor-
tunities for observation, gave graphic
picture of the ever-improving condi-
tions for the allies in the western
theater. He told of the vast and IA
vorable changes noted after an absence
of fourteen months from the sector
where his own regiment was employed.
This pnit. by the way. has been
four years. and the originals of most
of the officer types who moved through
the pages of the First Hundred Thou
sand" will never fight for their king
again.
Special applause greeted him when
he told how surely the Germans would
soon launch some sort of last great
offensive. one of the principal guaran-
tees of this being the presence Of that
cloud on the horizon, at first no larger
than mans hand, which is growing
and ever growing. and which repre-
eents the splendid soldiers of the United
States of America"
Maj. Beth characterized the battle Of
the Marne as marking the height OF the
Hood tide Of Teutonic invasion and
that of the Somme as the beginning
Of the ebb tide" and one Of the decisive
battles of world history. Hindenburg.
he pointed out, was there compelled ito
utilize one Of the principal prerogatives
and privileges Of a thoroughly victori-
Gus general-name1y, to retreat
Evidence Of Progress.
Perhaps tho best instance cited of
the progress made within the last two
years is this. When Maj. Beth left his
regiment for other duties they, like
others wore standing off Germans, who
were enjoying still. startling pre-
ponderance OF men and guns When he
returned to It recently 1t was washday,
and Highland kits, stockings and shirts
wore strung to dry in the sun along
hundreds OF yards OF the thfrty-foot-
deep barbed wire Of the "Hindenburg
line"
IAN along tha lima, and especially In
Belgium" said the officer. 'the Ger
mans are now on the defensive and
shortly they must, IN that position. re-
cetve the combined and finally VIC
torious attack OF the British. French
and American armies
And he added. though not all Of
you can put q German soldier out Of
business, every one Of you can put a
German lie out OF business"