The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-12-21
H STORY OF
LAUZANNE

THE STORY OF
LAUZANNE
Ever since the armistice was signe,
a campaign of publicity has been in
dulged in by the White House pres
agents, crediting President Wilson
with having been the man who in
sisted on Marshal Foch assuming the
allied command, and that another lea
should be added to Mr.. Wilson's lau-
rels for that achievement. Stepher
Lausanne, editor of the Matin, n o
the most brilliant of French writer's
and high in the condolences of French
war leaders, In a book entitled "MeT
l Have Known" gives an entirely
different version of the affair.
From Lauzanne's statement it ma
be gathered that Mr.. Wilson was no
present when the determination was
made to put Foch in command of the
allied armies; that Mr.. Wilson knew
nothing about 1t; that the decision
was hastily arrived at; and that Mr.
Wilson was no consulted.
During the latter part of March
1918, according to Luzanne's account
Clemenceau sew President Poincare
at the Elysee, and said:
II come from Compiegne. have
seer Petain. Things go very badly.
l am not sure but that the evacuation
of Paris is not an immediate neces-
sity."
Poincare jumped from his chair.
ut shall never be-" he said.
Clemenceau replied hat he would
again see Petain. and some hours
later telephoned Poincare that Petain
insisted on the evacuation of Paris.
Poincare continued to object. Next
morning a cabinet meeting was held
and C~lemenceau seemed more dis
posed to side with Poincare. He
promised a meeting two days later
at which Marshal Haig should be
present. On March 26 Poincare went
to Doullens, where the meeting with
Haig was scheduled. Foch also was
there. Approaching Poincare, he in
quired:
"You have heard the orders which
have been g~iven?"
"No; what orders?" asked Poin-
care.
1.-THE retreat of the army and the
evacuation of Paris" responded Foch
Poincare was astounded. and Foch
resumed:
Paris! Paris has nothing to dc
with it. 1t is here where we must
stop the Boche, here on the front;
and he can be stopped. He has al
ways been stopped. Haig and Petain
are two men who are trying to close
two doors which do not fit.
Each waits on the other"
He was then asked by Poincare
how he would stop them, and replied
sd simply close n hole here. and
another there, and the Boche is fixed.
One can always fix the Boche."
Shortly after Haig vas ready and
they all entered the town hall and
sat around a table-Poincare, Miner.
C~lemenceau. Haig, foch, Petain, and
Loucheur. "Haig looked like a man
who hadn't slept for three nights"
Poincare presented the situation, and
Haig declared his readiness to defend
Amiens. On the word "Amiens" Foch
sprang to his feet exclaiming:
But no; but no. Marshal Haig;
Amiens isn't the question. We must
stop them before Amiens."
Foch then quickly outlined his plan
to stop the Boche Immediately.
"At this moment Lord Miner sig
nailed to C~lemenceau and the two
men whispered together. Those near
caught Miners words: There is the
man-there Is the man we want.
Haig arose and said: If we continue
as now 1t is the end. l for n am
willing to place myself under the or
ders of Marshal Foch.' Whereupon
Clemenceau ordered Loucheus to Put
this down: General Foch has been
commissioned to coordinate the eff
forts of the allied armies"
Thus. according to Lausanne, did
Foch come into command of the al
lied armies. without the action of
Mr.. Wilson, who about seven months
later warded off Foch's coup de grace
by securing the armistice for the
hard-pressed Huns.
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