Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-25
CHAPTER TX.
How Foch Came to commaad.

| French genius triumphed not only. or
the field of battle but in the concep-
ton and organization of war. 1t was
from France that went forth the first
and most pressing appeals for that
military and economic unity of COM
mand which, in 1918, turned the long
wavering scales in favor of the allies.
From the end of 1915. the French
parliament had made insistence upon
unity of command the essential article
of its programme. On October s. 1917,
NJ. Loucheur, minister of armament in
the Painleve cabinet. had secured its
endorsement by the French war COM
mittee. Several weeks later. not with
out hesitation on the part of Great
Britain, the war council of Versailles
was created. 1t was q step forward.
But that was not enough. As soon
as he assumed the reins of government
in November, 1917. Nj. Clemenceau set
TO work to obtain more and better.
I had informed him that he could count
on President Wilson's aid: On the other
hand opposition was still manifest in
London and when during brief stay
in Paris at the end of 1917 publicly
declared that the American and French
governments were agreed on the neces-
sity of a unity of command, several
English newspapers protested.
Clemencoan for Foch.
On the eve Of my departure for
New York, on December 80, 1917. had
a last talk with NJ. Clemenceau. I said
to him:
"They are going to talk to me again
over there about unity of command.
And no doubt they will ask me, Who"
what shall say?"
NJ. Clemenceau replied: "Foch."
Three months after. in the last week
of March. 1918. the British army COM
manded by General Cough was broken
and flung back on Amiens. On March
%, the bombardment Of Paris by long
range guns began. The breaking Of
the Franco British front brought us
back to the darkest days of 1914. From
the very first moment of the crisis.
From the extremity Of the danger he
would snatch the solution sought in
vain for SO many months. To German
unity of command he would oppose al
lied unity Of command.
l have told above how, on March 20, |
General Petain sent up "a divisions to
fill the gap created between our allies
and ourselves. AT 4 O'Clock the same |
day, after a meeting held at Marshal |
Petain's headquarters at Compiesne,
between NM. Poincare. Clemenceau |
and Loucheur, who had motored from |
Paris with General Foch and Lord Mil j
ner, representing Great Britain, it had
been decided to discuss the question Mt |
another conference the next day. Who |
would be presented at the conference? |
Foch Il Delegated
M. Clemenceau Mt once designated |
Marshal Foch. 1t was later decided |
that General Petain would come also |
After the meeting NJ. Clemenceau took |
Lord Miner aside. He begged him in |
to bring to bear on Sir Doug |
las Haig all the pressure of his great |
authority in support of reorganiza-
tion of the allied command. The bat
tie Of Amiens was at stake. Lord i
Miner promised his assistance.
On March 20. everybody met at Doul-
ems. While General Haig was talking /
with Generals Byng and Plumer, NM. !
Poincare.. Clemenceau and Loucheur I
we're in the Place du Marche with Gen |
raj Foch. The latter, in rapid and viz
,rous sentences. outlined the situation
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