Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-05
BY HENRY w. BUM.


mary of the most impor-
tant news of the world for
4 the seven days ended Feb
ruary 4:
Great Britain.-Field Marshal Earl
Haig is dead OF heart stroke at SO.
A Scorehman. he graduated at Oxford
and Joined the army at "a He served
with distinction In the Khartoum cam
paign o! 1898 and in the Boer War.
He was chief OF staff Of the cavalry
division In Lord Roberts victorious
progress from Cape Colony through the
Orange Free State into the Transvaal.
Thereafter ne held sundry posts. in
Guiding a dictatorship in the war Office.
from 1906 10 1909. in which capacity
his contribution was Of first Importance
toward that development OF the general
staff and that reorganization OF the
army which were to prove so momen-
tous. In 1910 he became lieutenant
general and at the outbreak of the
great war he was generally esteemed
the most learned Of Britons in military
science.
He commanded the ist Army Corps
OF the "contempibicS in the Mons
Marine and Aisne operations and the
first battle OF Ypres. Seldom If ever
in the history OF war has cavalry been
employed more brilliantly than II vas
by Haig IN super glorious retreat When.
at the beginning OF 1915, the British
expeditionary force was divided into
two armies ne was appointed 10 lead
the first. In the course OF the year
the battles OF Neuve Chappelle Fcstu-
. bert and LooS were fought on his
front. Al its close he succeeded Sir
John French in the chief British COM
mand, which he retained TO the end
Of The war.
But was Haig's capacity for the con-
duct OF var answerablc TO his knowi-
edge? In my opinion IL was, and in
support thereof ! refer the reader 10
Sir Douglas Haig's Command, by
George A. b. DeWar and Lieut.. Col
Boraston His views we're long ones.
. and from December 1915 10 the Spring
Of 1918 his energies were devoted as
much 10 organization behind the lines,
10 adequate training Of the new forma-
! tons before feeding them into the lines
as 70 the actual fighting on the Somme
and I'm Flanders.
When In the Spring Of 1918. the
Germans dealt their tiercest offensive,
Hsig. with the army so patiently train
ed magnificent result OF persistence In
those long views. held EN-, by "A hair
only II you please. but held EN-. II
was at the crisis of this business, on
April 70 1918. that he Issued one Of
the most famous orders, ending thus.
Every position must be held 10 the last
man There must be no retirement
with our backs 10 the wall and beiiev-
ing IN the justice Of our cause. each
one Of us must fight 10 the end The
safety of our homes and the freedom
VI mankind depend alike upon the con-
- an al at
moment
Well scarcely any one Win deny that
Haig gaR a super Mcclellan for organ
lzation, n fine tacticlan. almost Lee
for defensive. But had he The larger
gifts demanded for the grand offensive
That he had seems 10 mc proved by his
conduct In the concluding DAYS Of the
var Hr Was chiefly Instrumental ia
the appointment Of Foch AS generals
sin1D His eye took IN The whole field
He successfully pressed upon F0ch that
extension III the battle northward
which resulted III smashing ot The
Hindenburg line His execution OF the
Dart of the general plan assigned Ia
him Was 0f the FIRST order of brililance
A little mistake had been made. Hin
true genius was for the offensive and
the time being ripe, he proved one of
The great captains II h. interesting
10 note that at the very end as TT the
very beginning III the war lie was using
cavalry with the instructive mastery Of
Hannibal
| Earl iiaia Was very handsome man
| most dignified Ia demean0r but III a
/ perfect ufbanlty 81 ID iaconic habit, re-
! calling the great duke. Since the war.
| declining eunnry offers, he had devoted
| himself almost exclusively Ia the well
! isfe ~ tnf sS~sefvice men He was
! father ~ The British Legion and the
! British Empire Services League and
1 founder 0t Poppy day. ! repeat~-ane of
lie great captains. though as Vel his
! reputation Is far from ansaerable "
LIa nLlIlllah and bis AeTairra