Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-23
CHAPTER XXXII
Continued
Wilson and JOffre


President Wilson had such a per-
feet mastery of the military situa-
ton. He had expected to meet a
scholar, a statesman and an ideal
list; he had not expected to meet
a practical strategist fully CONVEX
SAINT with all the military move
ments. In answer to my question
as to whether it would be feasible
to send in advance of his army the
general who was to command Amer
lean troops in France, the president
said at once that, it could be ar
ranged"
The president and Marshal Joffre
considered together number Of
technical military problems. Gen.
eral Joffre gave the president his
expert opinion as to what should
surprised at the promptness with
which in each case the president
said, cit shall be DONE"
A little incident at the White
House at the luncheon given by the
president to members of the Demo
cratic national committee throws
light upon the fighting qualities of
the man. He asked Angus w. Nc
Lean, warm and devoted friend
from North Carolina, who was seat
ed near him at the table. what the
Scotch down in North Carolina were
saying about the war. Mr.. Mclean
replied he could best answer the
question by repeating what friend
of the presidents father and an
ardent admirer of the president had
said about the presidents attitude
a few days previous.
81 am afraid our president is not
a true Scot; he doesn't show the
fighting spirit characteristic of the
Scotch The president promptly
replied, "You tell our Scotch friend,
Mclean, that he does not accurately
interpret the real Scottish character.
If he did, he would understand my
attitude. The Scotchman is slow to
begin to fight, but, when once he
begins he never knows when to
quit"
Aroused Over Submarines
Two capital policies which con-
tributed enormously to the winning
of the war received their impulse
from Woodrow Wilson-the unfit
cation of command of the allied
armies on the western front and the
in the North sea. Colonel House
let it be known in London that he
had received a cable from President
Wilson stating emphatically that the
United States government consider
ed unity of plan and control between
the Allies and the United States to
be essential in order to win the war
and achieve a just and lasting peace.
ian, who advised, urged and insisted
that a mine barrage be laid across
the North sea to- check German SUBJ
marine activities at their source.
Naval experts pronounced the plan
impossible; it would take too long
to lay the barrage, and, when laid,
it would not hold. A great storm
would sweep it away. But the pres
ident insisted that the thing could
be done, and that nothing else could
check the submarine devastation
amounting by July, 1917, to 600,.
600 tons a month of destroyed ship
ping. The presidents audacity and
persistence prevailed, and it is not
too much to say that his plan ended
the submarine menace.
1t will be recalled that European
clII1Su d VI q
farewell reception to Mr.. Bonar
Law, in which he paid his compli'
ments to his chief, Mr.. Lloyd
George, saying, in substance, that
he had only seen Lloyd George dis
couraged once. 1t was on the morn
ing when the news came of the
great German offensive in March of
1918. Mr.. Lloyd George told Mr..
Bonar Law that morning that only
a vast increase in American rein.
forcements could save the allies. A
cable was Immediately framed, ask.
ing Mr.. Wilson to send the number
Of reinforcements necessary. Mr..
Bonar Law stated in his speech that
an affirmative answer was received
from Mr.. Wilson the same day.
A prominent Englishman, discuss
ing the presidents work in connec-
ton with the war, while criticising
what he chacterized as the presi-
dents ignorance of European condi-
tons, said: 81 feel ashamed to be
criticising President Wilson for any,
thing when remember his practical
services in prosecuting the war. No
other man in any country gave such
firm and instant support to every
measure for making operations eff
fective. His decisions were fearless
and prompt, and he stood by them
like a rock. In sending troops
promptly and insending plenty of
them, in cooperating in the naval
effort, in insisting on the unity of
command under Foch, in backing
the high command in the field, and
in every other practical detail Mr..
Wilson had big, clear conceptions
and the courage to carry them out. "
Lloyd Georges View
Those who were critical of the
presidents conduct of the war for
get the ringing statement that came
from Lloyd George when the great
offensive was on, when he said:
"The race is now between Won Hin
denburg and Wilson,"
And Wilson won.
The most important speech made
by the president during the war was
delivered at the Metropolitan opera
house, New York city, on September
81, 1918, opening the campaign for
the Fourth Liberty loan.
I recall a talk the president had
with me on the way to New York
on the afternoon of the delivery of
this speech when he requested me
to read the manuscript. AS he give
it to me he said, ''They (meaning
the allies will not like this speech,
for there are many things in it
which will displease the imperialists
of Great Britain, France and Italy.
The world must be convinced that
we are playing no favorites and that
America has her own plan for a
world settlement, a plan which does
not contain the germs of another
war. What I greatly fear, now that
the end seems inevitable, is that
we shall go back to the old days
of alliances and competing arma,
ments and land grabbing. We must
see to it, therefore, that there is
not another Alsace-Lorraine, and
that when peace finally comes it