Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-01-02

Included The far-famed Hindenburg
line. II is Gear that if Haiy had not
loyalty c~ooperated With Foch the vic
tory would not have been possible. 1t
is clear that however brilliant the STRAIT
egg of Foch, if it had not been intelli-
gently and efficiently interpreted no
such success would have followed,
Therefore, if the great glory is to
Fooh, as it vas in our civil way to
Grant in the north and Lee in the
south, 1t seems to me that Haig must
deserve he praise which we of the
north gave To Sherman, which France
slVes To Petain in the present hour.
NAT the British will reckon their COM
Hiahaeiinchief with Wellington and
Aia'lpofough seems likely; certainly
'HeN nave no other names which per-
mt comparison.
But by comparison Haig's task was
~Sisantlc: he took the huge British VOL
uhleer army when it was little more
MAN a mob and fashioned out of it an
eilec'lVe instruments; he suffered Sc
we're defeats and even severer dis
appointments in his use of it. but he
oil.iiaeely led it to complete victory,
"hich would have been totally impos-
Sipie mad the British army beer unable
10 90 all that it did accomplish. Haig's
isiopiefls were far different and more
"illicuit than those of Joffre or petain:
.'iey mad armies at their hands. organ
'Heu lor contemporary warfare and pro-
Nlueu with Staffs trained i'm the tasks
before them. ''
Lug mac nothing: two-thirds of his
Morh was construction, and it had to
oe zone IN the heat of battle and under
'e s'less OF great campaigns. In the
."ee vi all obstacles he brought a vic
eoiious british army back to Mons on
>oVetnser III and l believe his achieve
nent VIII grow rather than diminish
Nv 'he eyes OF men as his real task is
more clearly perceived.
PIumer Stands Second.
VI Halg's subordinates suppose
common consent would award to Plum
ef ne first place. His army hald
the old Ypres salient all the time from
the close of the second battle in 1915
10 the momen when it broke all the
restraining barriers and swept down
lhto the FLANDERS plain in October, in
suflng the recovery of Lille and the
liberation of the Belgian seacoast. At
an tlmes his professional attainments
were acknowledged by the severest
crltlcs, and | remember an acuuaint-
ance of mine heard Joffre assert that
ne was on of the two great generals
of the war.
among Plumer's achievements was
the clearing of the Messines ridge in
June, 1917. which was a preliminary
step In the Flanders campaign. 1t
was one Of the finest examples of a
scientific local offensive. comparable
l With Petain's two thrusts at YER
dun in 1916. 1t was characterized by
a marvellous coordination of various
arms and marked by such a clear evil
dence OF accurate intelligence work
that Plumer's chief intelligence officer
harrington. won immediate promotion.
AS a result OF the preparation, Plum
ers troops advanced over the famous
Messines- "Whitesheet" ridge with in
cred1bly small losses and abolished for
the time the old Ypres salient. Later
when Cough had made a mess Of. the
P~asschendaele offensive. Plumer took
1T over and brought order out of chaos.
When Italy was overwhelmed at Capo-
retto Plumer was sent to command the
British reserves, which were hurried
south n did admirable work. His is
a record that has no trace of failure.
even temporary.
Only less conspicuous is the record
of Rawlinson. 1t begins with the COM
mand of the immortal Seventh divi-
sion. which arrived in Flandess in Oc-
tober M in less than a month was
reduced from 10000 to 1000. Its share
of Ypres is forever memorable. At
Loos Rawlinson was less happy, but
he reappers in command of the Fourth
army at the first Somme and holds this
post of great Importance throughout
the battle. After that he disappears
for a time. to reappear. after Coughs
defeat In March. commanding the
Fourth army again. He deals the great
stroke on August 8 which was the be-
ginning of the long series u blows lead
ing to the final scene at Mons.
He was Haig's personal friend and
choice: he shares with Haig criticism in
certain phases. but he shares equally
with his chief the credit for the ulti-
mate success in which his victory Of
August 8. and his share in the break
ing of he indenburg fine on October
s are brilliant details.
Horne Always Succeeds.
Another general whose fortunes have
been steadier is Horne. who command
cd the First army from 1918 onword.
An artillery officer. his contribution to
the First Somme was very great. He
was a rising soldier from that
and his army was always held highly
Against him fell the second German
blow in April Of this year and his
front was temporarily pierced. owing to
the unexpected and complete collapse
OF the Portuguese. But he held on.
managed to hold Givenchy and the hioh