The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-25

again. He takes pencil and paper He writes, and as he writes he reads aloud. He uses first the formula which everyone has used since tht morning to define the battle which had to be won before Amiens: General Foch is charged by the British and French governments with co-ordinating the British and French operations before Amiens." Here General Foch stops the Pres ident:
 "Better make 1t on the western front"
 "Of course, you are right!"
 And he scratches out the last words for which he substitutes Ion the western front" Then he goes on:
 He General Foch) will come to an understanding to this effect with the two commanders in chief, who are invited to furnish him with all necessary information"
 It is now past 1 o'clock. Every body goes to lunch together at the old Doulens Hotel Les Quatre Fills Aymon. / On the threshold of the din- ing room M. Loucheur, who sees suc- cess in sight for the idea he had sup ported before the war council on the previous 9th of October, and who for merly, as an artillery lieutenant, had served under the orders of the new "co- -ordinator," meets the latter and says laughingly:
 Well. general. 50 you have got your paper now?"
 General Foch, laughing back, says:
 Yes; and a fine time to give it me-"
 Foch Assumes Duties.
 Lunch is quickly over, and 40 min ~. British headquarters at Dury to take up his task. His task, the most dif- ficult of all tasks, despite the burn ing desire of all to succeed and to stop the enemy's advance. For mili- tary life, with its simple formulae of command and obedience, lends itself reluctantly to combinations of this kind which are outside it's normal sphere. For several weeks--as was nevitable-General Foch "co-ordi- mated more by negotiation than by commando" Racing from one head quarters to another-advising sug- gesting. insisting, at times even hust- ling-he gained inch by inch the the . oretic authority with which, thanks to M. Clemenceau, the crisis of March 26 had endowed him. More was needed. A few days later M. Clem- enceau, accompanied by M. Loucheur, met Generals Foch, Fayolle and De- beney at Breteuil in the Disc. Then M. Clemenceau said to General Foch:
 You are doing very good work. Bus you dc not command enough. I have just come from Haig. I have talked with him. I want you to go the whole hog and give orders"
 Official Sanction.
 On April new conference en- nt. NH his point of view the seal of off cial sanction. General Foch carries away from the conference a new pa- per which is an actual brevet of com mand. There is no longer any ques- ton of coordination Henceforth General Foch Is to have the stra- tegic direction of military operations on the western front" The comman- ders In chief of each of the allied nations are to retain the tactical conduct of operations" with the right to appeal to their governments if they deem it necessary. This clear definition, despite the restriction mentioned has most satisfactory ef- feet All the commanders in chief show the utmost will to obey and cooperate.
 The front stiffcns and hope again. runs high But on May 27 there Is Q new catastrophe; the Chemin des Danes. The French front had broken Our troops are thrown back to the Marine. It is bad start for unity of command. On June 9 M. Glenn enceau in the chamber defends 1t ab- solutely In the face of the most vio- lent criticism. He says:
 These soldiers. these splendid soi- diers, have leaders, excellent leaders. great leaders-leaders worthy of them in every respect.
 T shall reassert this as often as I have to, to make myself heard, be- cause 1t is. my duty, because l have seen these leaders at work.
 These men are now fighting tho hardest battle of the war and are fighting 1t with a heroism which I can find no words worthy to ex- press.
 And shall we--for a mistake which may have been made in such or such sector, or even may not have been made at all-shall we, before even knowing, demand explanations! Shall we, while the battle Is raging. go to man who is worn out, man so tired that his head droops over his maps as I have seen In awful mo- ments, and ask this man why on such and such day he did such or such q thing?
 Drive me from this tribune 1T that is what you ask-for will not do It."
 (To Be Continued)
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