New-York tribune., 1919-10-26


Gil and thus Prime Minister of
France, and had been Minister of
War in the Ribot Cabinet and Min
lster of Inventions in the BRAND
Cabinet, made a sensational state
ment of the truth concerning the
Nivelle failure of 1917, which re-
suited in the temporary disorgani-
zatlon of the French army, the sum-
mary removal of Nivelle and long
political and military controversy.
1t was alleged by Nivelle's friends,
and the story was published first in
America, that French politicians had
become panic stricken at the losses
incurred by Nivelle in the first two
days of his operations and that these
politicians, members of the French
Chamber of Deputies, succeeded in
having the attack stopped and
Nivelle removed at the precise mo-
ment when the German lines were
crumbling and a supreme victory
was in sight. 1t was further argued
that Nivelle was handicapped by
some failure of Sir Douglas Haig,
the British commander in chief, to
cooperate with the French.
The story was probably the most
sensational in the whole history of
military operations during the war;
consequently, when I went to France
last winter. I sought eagerly to find
out exactly what had occurred. As
to any failure on the part of Sir
Douglas. Haig, the story seemed in
herently inaccurate, because in Feb
ruary, 1917, I lunched with the
British chief at his old headquarters
at Montreuil-sur-Me and at that
time he spoke Of Nivelle, who had
only recently taken over command,
with real enthusiasm and in tones
which revealed his entire sympathy
with Nivelle's known determination
to abandon Joffre's "nibbling" and
undertake a real aggressive cam
paign.
Secret Documents Studied
Through the courtesy of certain
French friends l was able to make
a careful and satisfactory examina-
ton of the still secret documents
and facts in the Nivelle case and to
talk with men who were both in
formed and entirely reliable. The
results of the investigation, which
are no longer subject to restraint,
since NJ. Painleve and M. BRAND
have opened the subject in the
French Parliament, | now present to
my readers and my impression is
that they have never hitherto been
printed in full either in the United
States or France.
The circumstances which led to
Nivelle's selection were unusual. 1t
had become clear that Joffre must
go, following the comparative fail
ure of that Somme campaign of
1916 on which BRAND, who, as
Prime Minister, supported Joffre
against attack, had depended to
supply the necessary victory and to
restore Joffre's shaken prestige
The natural choice was Petain, anc
the world not unreasonably expected
that the savior of Verdun woulc
succeed the victor Of the Marine.
Removal of Joffre
But getting rid of Joffre was nc
easy matter. The ministry was ex
ceedingly fearful about it and tx
replace Joffre by Petain meant tx
add insult to injury, for Chantilly
that is, the French G. II. O., hac
seen the rise of the new man with
natural if censurable heart burn
lngs. The removal of Joffre prom
ised to be far easier, if the selec
ton of successor did not put
retain In his old chiefs place.
In addition, Petain, despite hi
great qualities, has more than sug
gestion about him Of our own Gen
efai Sherman. He has shar,
tongue and, despite his habitua
taciturnity, has said things abou
politiclans, French and foreign, AM
about soldiers, French and Allied
winch are not unlike the famous an,
caustlc comment Of Clemencea,
himself. With the French politician
nc was so unpopular that it wa
easy for BRAND to pass over hir
and difficult TO choose him.
Next to Petain, Foch seemed I
The outside world the logical choic,
He bad been Joffres most brilliar
lieutenant in the Marine; he ha
won the battle Of the Yser and ha
commanded the French troops i
the then recent battle Of tn
Somme. But while the British an
the outside world counted tn
Somme victory, France counted
r.