Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-28
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Somewhere in France" there is to-
day a soldier fighting the greatest bat
tle Of his life-the soldier who once
commanded greater armies than any
other general ever led into battle.
Marshal Ferdinand Foch Is making
his last stand, not weakly facing de-
fact, but confronting irresistible power,
against which all the strategy Of man is
vain.
Even our own Gen. Pershing, calling
to pay his respects to the only man in
the World War whom he saluted as his
superior in rank superior when Mar
shall Foch became supreme commander
Of the Allied and Associated Armies)
was halted at the door, and could but
leave his message Of sympathy.
The world knows the success of the
one who controlled the fate of civiliza-
ton upon the battlefield, for he was
victorious, and the world honors Sue
cess. But how little do the mass OF
people know of the great courage and
morale Of the victor! His was the spirit
NASScAy RNAoCAlAAOA, 6CNouoC AAC We
lieved victory was ever measured by will
to succeed. rather than by conditions
over which he had no control. There
are lessons in his maxims, applicable tc
fights" in peace as well as of war. The
strugglcr with Foch spirit cannot fail
Who could overcome this spirit?
MY right is crushed, my left is ir
retreat; am attacking with my
| center" Just an official routine report
of the general in command of one OF
the armies facing the second battle Of
the Marine. The secret Of why later he
was given supreme command!
1t were eaSy-but unfair for an un-
| disabled observer-to contrast that grit
with the quivering lips of a certain
she'll shocked patient from one Of the
military hospitals, whom 1 met this
morning. highly trained young man
| expert In certain technique, but wholly
| incapacitated by nervous breakdown.
rates him "less than 10 per cent in
capacitated." hence, awards him ne
compensation" and he is hospitalizec
without a cent Of income, and ne
physical ability to earn any.
HE is taken care Oft"
Yes, but he loves his dependent wife
who, though normal school graduate
and experienced teacher, Is earning only
enough to pay rent, with hardly any.
thing for food and-sick, with no money
for medical attendance. He gave hi.
nerves in battle. His right Is crushed
his left Is in retreat; he might attack
with his center" Just how? Let's bt
practical!
He can walk about-feebly. But the
Veterans Bureau says that walking
about proves that his disability is less
than 10 per cent" and his walking legs
are 80 per cent.
How glorious it would be if everybody
were Marshal Foch! When in re.
treat, when ones right Is crushed
then fight with your center. How
simple Take a correspondence course
with the v. B. God reigns and the
Government at Washington still lives!
Said Marshal Foch: "A battle los
is battle which one believes to bt
lost. For battles are not lost mate
rally"
There Is such a lot of truth In thai
aphorism! The converse is that only
when one gives up Is he defeated. Let:
refer to the Boston doctrine of "minc
over matter" and rise aboye all de.
| lcdtS ny OcIlyulE tIlclI GhlSteIlCe. Ma
poleon retreated from Russia and Tough
his Waterloo, but why admit defea
when mind rules matter so absolutely
What a mystery is this control BY
mind over matterl" Two people with
one finger each can lift high in thu
air third person, though the lifters
scarcely feel the weight of the $50 OF
200 pounds they lift. Explain it;
can't. I've seen 1t done; have as.
sisted in doing 1t, but explain IT.
Jamais de la vie!
Yet every general recognizes the vas
power of morale In winning victories
Read their orders whose sole purpose
has been directed to equipping tbs
army. not with material" but will
morale.
The French had been forced to re-
treat at the first battle of the Marn,
until Marshal Joffre was prepared t,
face about, and he issued this rally:
las we are about to begin the battl,
on which depends the future Of on