The Washington herald., 1920-05-02
-Yanks Praised
Highly BY Haig,
British Marshal
Empires Commander in
France Refutes Charge
Of Slurring Them.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

TeiIeIdteu Ine IdCtlndt from InclT
first arrival in France ! was imme-
diately and profoundly impressed
by the keenness and seriousness
troops adapted themselves to the
unexpected conditions with which
they were confronted.
ITO my observation. they were
imbued with the spirit and desire
to render the utmost service wher-
ever their aid might avail. and es-
pecially admirable. in my estlma-
tion. was the self effacement they
were ready to display and the desire
they at all times showed to learn
from the men of the armies who
had been for years in the Geld.
This desire was equally appar-
ent in all ranks. They fraternized
at once with the British and French
troops, picked up their ways, learn
ed quickly from the knowledge ac-
quired by the bitter experience of
two years fighting under ever
changing conditions: and. readily
assimilatinE this knowledge, they
were able, when called upon, to
make tho best of the opportunities
given them.
Electrical Eject on French.
Moreover, you must bear in mind
the marvellous heartening effect
given to the sorely tried people OF
France by the opportune arrival in
their country of the first Americans:
that is to say. of Gen. Pershing and
his staff in June, 1917. The effect
was electrical.
THE French armies. unbeaten,
q nj
and the arrival in their midst of the
first detachments of the armies of
the United States - splendid in
physique. magnificently equipped
and supplied with apparently un-
as a wonderful stimulus throughout
the whole country.
You must remember that when 1
speak to you in regard to the Amer
lean armies in France I am espe-
them which came under my per-
sonal observation. I allude to that
period in the early days of Amer
lean cooperation. when certain
divisions of the United States army
were attached to my command i'm
mediately on their landing in
France.
Knows mt First Hand.
During these months 1 was en-
abled to note-and was much i'm
pressed blythe rapid growth in
all-around efficiency that they at
tanned in practical warfare and all
that phrase means. Their staff Of
hcers especially struck me as highly
educated, able, as we'll as tactful.
gentlemen.
The bigger army that was formed
later and with such wonderful celer-
lty, was, in the technical sense, an
unframed army with only a rudi-
mentary knowledge of military du-
ties and requirements. In that re-
spect it was precisely like our own
citizen army.
But by sheer devotion to the
cause that had been adopted and by
a persistent application to the sur
mounting of the tasks imposed on
them. the American 'doughboy'
speedily gained the admiration not
only of the British Tommies, their
comrades in arms. but of all the
ranks of the British forces in the
field"
His Personal Impression.
Invited Ito give his personal i'm
preston of the "doughboy," Earl
Haig said:
HE is a remarkable and distinc-
tive type, bright, cheerful. quick
witted and a ready learner, all of
which are invaluable qualities in a
soldier. 1t seemed to me that he
was different in many ways from
the Americans We usually meet in
IN a.
evident that no one can pretend to
have knowledge of the American
character who has not been able to
study those admirable phases of it
which the 'doughboy' exemplifies"
The British commander-in-ch chief.
out of respect for military eti-
quettc, was unable to discuss the
leading figures in the American
army: though he implied that he
held a high opinion of them.
Differs with Petain.
He also held the view that the
officers corps was a highly. eff
cient body, such as might be expect
ed TO be produced by such a splen-
did military academy as West
Point.
bditor's Note.-This latter
opinion OF Marshal Haig is di-
rectly at variance with that of
Marshal Petain, who recently
held that the curriculum of
West Point was practically OBJ
solete.
Il think il is obvious from what
l have said.' Earl Haig added, that
my admiration for the work of the
American armies is genuine and
wholehearted. When I say that the