The Washington herald., 1919-05-11
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

hnson, of the Fourth Army: Gen. Hal
dane. Of the Sixth Army; Gen. Haiken.
of the Eleventh Corps; Gen. Snow,
of the Seventh Corps, with many di-
visional generals like De Lisle. No
gent. Braithwaite. Ferguson, Con-
greve and Pinnie, could all be de-
scribed in that way. In spite of mark
ed Individual difference. as all moth
ers sons differ from one another.
Mentally they had similar qualities
They had unfailing physical courage
though courage Is not put to the test
much in modern generalship. which.
above the rank of brigadier. works far
from the actual line of battle. unless
il slips" in the wrong direction. They
were stern disciplinarians, and tested
the quality of troops by their smart
ness In saluting and on parade, whlcn
did not account for the hghting merit
of the Australians. Most of them were
conservative by political tradition ana
hereditary instinct. and conservative
also In military ideas and methods.
They distrusted the brilliant fellow
and were inclined to think him un-
safe: and they were not quick 10
allow Young men to gain high COM
mand at the expense Of their grey
hair and experience. They were In
dustrious. able, conscientious men.
never sparing themselves long hours
OF work for a life of ease, and be-
cause they were willing to sacrince
their own lives, IL need be. for their
country's sake. they demanded equal
willingness of sacrifice from every
officer and man under their authority.
having no mercy whatever Tor the
slacker or the weakling.
No General with Magnetism.
It is unfortunate that among thes
British generals there was not one
whose personality had that mysterl.
Gus but essential quality OF greas
generalship-insplring large bodies OF
men with exalted enthusiasm deVo-
ton and faith. 1t did not seem 10
matter very much to the men wheth-
ar an army commander. a corps COM
nander or a divisional commander
stood in the roadside to watch them
march mast on their way to battle,
or on their way back. They saw ono
of these sturdy men in his brass
hat" with his ruddy face and white
moustache, but no thrill passed down
their ranks, no hoarse cheers broke
from them because he was there. as
when Wellington sat on his white
horse in the Peninsular- war. or as
when Napoleon saluted his Old
C,uard. or even as when Lord ROBERTS.
SOu- Robs" came perched like lit
tie ola falcon on his big charger.
Nine men out OF ten in the ranks did
not even know the name OF thelr
arrnv general or of the corps COM
mander. 1t meant nothing to them.
They did not face death with more
passionate courage to win the ap-
proyal of a military idol. That was
due partly to the conditions OF moo-
ern warfare, which make It dimcult
for generals of high rank TO get INTO
direct personal touch with their
troops. and to the masses OF men en-
gagged.
been overcome by general OF
iunressiye personality. able to stir
the imaginations of men by words
OF FIRE spoken at the right time.
by deep human sympathy. and by
the luck of victory seized by dar-
ing adventure against great odds.
No such man appeared on the west
ern front until Foch obtained the
supreme command. On the Brit
ish front there was no general
with the gift of speech-a gift too
much despised by our British men
of action-or with a character and
prestige which could raise him to
the service rank in popular imagt-
nation. During the retreat from
Nous. Sil John French had a touch
of that personal power-his pres
ence meant something to the men
because of his reputation in South
Africa but afterward. when trench
warfare began and the daily rou-
tine Of slaughter under German
gunfre, when our artillery was
weak. and when our infantry was
reduced to attack fixed positions of
terrible strength. without adequate
support and not a dogs chance of
luck against such odds. the prestige
of the commander-in-chie faded
from mems minds and he lost place
in their admiration. II was washed
out in blood and mud.
Hnig's Shyness His Weak Point.
Sir Douglas Haig. who followed
French, had the disadvantage of
inheritinG the disillusionment of
armies who saw now that war on
the Western front was to be a long
and protracted struggle. with enor-
nous slaughter. and no visible sign
of the end beyond a vista of dread
full years. Sir Douglas Haig, in his
general headquarters at st. Omer.
and afterward at Montrevil. near
the coast, had the affection and 10y
atty of the stan officers. A man of
remarkably good looks. with fine
delicate features strengthened by
singular sweetness, courtesy and
simplicity in his manner toward all
who approached MIN. he had quail
ties which might have raised him in
the supreme height of personal in
fiuence among his armies. but for
one defect in his character and the
tragic condition of his command
He was intensely shy and reserved
shrinking from publicity in an al
most morbid way. and holding him
self aloof from the human side of
war. He was ccnstitutionally un-
able to make a dramatic gesture
before a multitude. or to say easy,
stirring things to officers and men
whom he reviewed. His shyness
and reserve prevented him also,
think. from knowing as much as
he ought to have known about the
opinions of officers and men and
getting direct information from
them.
Unfortunately, too, he he'd the su-
preme command of the British
armies on the Western front, when.
in the battlefields of the Somme and
Flanders. of Picardy and Artois.
there was not much chance for
daring strategy, but only for ham
mer strokes by the flesh and blood
of men against fortress positions
the German trench systems. twenty