The Pensacola journal., 1920-02-23
PERSHING'S ARRIVAL TIMELY
Lord Douglas Haig Tells Rostock
That Coming of Americans
Was High Light of War
SENT FAMOUS MESSAGE
Told British Troops in April.
1918, I'VE Are Fighting With
Our Backs to the Wall.
(By FRANK w. ROSTOckA
Editor Cincinnati Post.

London, Feb. 22-"Rememher ,b,s
is not an interview" said Lord
douglas Haig, field marshal of tha
BRITISH army, when we sat dow, -
chat in his office in the Horse e,1,sr5s
Whitehall U.s.
However, I will ask a few ouas-
tlons, he added, after 1 had intima+e5
the nature of the subject I wished RI
discuss with him.
SH douglas was the only officer
met at the Horse Guards who did ,o+
wear a uniform. His appearance in
clVlllan dress was far different than 7
had thought it would be. He looked
the statesman rather than the soldier
had learned to picture Haig as
another Foch-a grim warrior, stern.
cold, unbending, curt and military.
But the Haig who talked to ~ -
such an informal, friendly manr6e.
was a different man altogether. B.faets
L should describe him s the kim s4g
a man one would like to have fo, $50
father-kind, courteous, patient aF4
pleasant
When | met Foch in Paris Il 4s
that L should want 10 be on his gittn
because it would not pay to or36sn
him. When I met Haig I felt | slsos4a
like to be on his side because he lss8sss
type of leader who attracts by fs
personality as Well as by his abilfgy
AS we chatted, there fitted throHga
my mind the memory of one of lac
great crises of the world war Nth :
this quiet, unassuming man, slow afff
soft of speech, playing the ceItral
figure in a great drama which for taa
moment promised to become a wotla
tragedy.
There is no other course open EaF
us but to fight it out. Every posi-
tion must be held 20 the last man;
there must be no retirement With
our backs to the wall. and believing in
the justice of our cause. each one Of
US most fight to the end. The
safety of our homes and the freeoom
of mankind alike depend upon the
conduct of each one of us at this criti-
cal moment
Those were the closing words OF
a message sent by Field Marshal Haig
to the British army in France and
Flanders on April Il. 1918.
The message was flashed around the
world.
It thrilled every believer in the al
lied cause and resulted in a quicken
ing Of war activities in all allied coun-
tries
It stiffened the British defense.
One hundred and six German
divisions were being hurled against
the British lines. The German goal
was the separation of the French and
English armies and the capture of the
channel ports.
;rrt. haIj INF r.
came and stopped the German rush.
What, in your opinion, was the
darkest moment of the war;" l asked
Haig.
There were several dark moments"
he replied Those which caused me
the most concern came at the time OF
the first battle of the Marine, when the
Germans seemed on the verge OF
taking Parts, and in April. 1915 when
the German aim was a separation of
the British and French armies, and
the destruction of the British army.
What was the brightest moment or
the war?' ] then asked of him.
There will always be a difference
of opinion about that" he answered.
But I shall always remember tho
brightest moment of the war as that
in which General ershirg came to us.
When I shook Pershing's hand / knew
that we could not lose | pictured the
steady flow of American troops across
the Atlantic. The coming of America
meant that we surely would win the
war; that victory was only a matter
Of time
In England there still is a great deal
OF discussion as to who won the war.
This also is true in France. The aver
age Englishman and Frenchman says
America came too late; that the war
alrea dy hid been won.
Who won the WARP
put It up TO Haig.
That question can be answered
very simply" was his quick reply Tt
was won by the people Of the allied
nations. Every soldier and every civ
ilian who did his bit. deserves credit.
II was not won by any one or two
nations. The valued cooperation OF
all was necessary
Field Marshal Haig plans TO take "a
mo. f-Continued on Page TNo.)