Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-04-10
MARSHAL F0CH IS INCARNATION OF Will

were only sorry that they could not do
ever so much more to express their
admiration.
The man who did all this is de-
scriped by those who know him best
as simple, unassuming. human and
conpanionable. Interested in many
things, polished and erudite, a saw
ant, an exquisite writer the sort OF
a soldier the French Academy loves to
honor by membership His intelli-
gence is of the highest, but his will
power is the climax of his character.
lie is q quiet man of placid spirit who
in crises takes Oh a mood of fierceness
so that his officers almost fear him.
He has no patience with fumbling nor
half hearted obedience and above all,
none for weakness. He is marvelously
kind but pftiless to those at fault if
the fault is lack of will In any way.
Though he resisted SO successfully
the fierce German alta cks when they
held the key of offensive attack, Focll
is essentially the combatant AT times
he feels that it is fatal TO give
ground. He once told the Belgian king
that he would lose his throne if he lost
his foothold on the User river. He told
Lord French at midnight when the
British line had been pierced that re-
treat was impossible. He promised
cost Of all their lives
His faVorite expression is that OF
Napoleon: They only are vanquished
who believe themselves to be-" For
him. "a battle is the struggle of two
wills. In the words of Joseph dc
Maistre "a battle is lost only when de-
feat is accepted ut cannot be lost
! otherwise, no matter what the ma :
terial setback. A battle is won whel
/ dot ir+r
will is impresnable. His famous tele-
gram al the first battle of the Marine
is the best evidence of that. MY
center yields, my right falls back, sit
uation excellent. I attack with my
left. His very audacity SO surprised
the enemy that retreat and confusion
had begun before anything could bt
done properly to meet the counter.
charge of an almost defeated enemy.
Foch was born at Tarbesin, South
western France, not far from Lourde.
in 1851. He has contradicted the uni
Tersal impression with regard to piet,
and great military genius being in
compatible. He went to schoo
to the Jesuits and was a universal ia
Vorlte among his fellows. The boy
gave him at ST Clement a Metz tn
Grand Prix de Sagesse conferred b,
the votes of the students on the on
OF their number whose conduct the,
considered the NEST admirable il
study and on the playground. He ha
always been a favorite, though sad t.
relate, his advancement in the F'rencI
army was slow because his firm faitI
was handicap for the French gov
, eminent of the time. When finaIl
! Premier C7emenceau offered him tn
+ position of director of the Frenc
School of War Foch reminded him tina
he had a brother a Jesuit CIemen
ceau said. What do I care abou
, that? You are appointed and all tn
, Jesuits cannot change it" He fore
! | saw clearly the course of the mex
great war. He foretold that futur
soldiers would use the spade and tn
pick as much as the rifle. He de
, clared that the great war to com
would be long. dur. sur long hard. BIT
certain. He has foresight that enable
: him to foresee what an enemy
about to do and then checkmate i
Duty and discipline are his watch
words in life. He is the finest ey
ample alive OF an all-round man an
: it is wonderful to think that he Shout
. now be looked upon as probably Il
i greatest character among mankind.