Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-09

there by the council. The general re-
serve was cre2teL and its conGrol was
ulaced under an Executive War Beard
| to consist of GINS. Foch, representing
the French, chairman; Bliss, the Amer
leans; Cadorna. the Italians, ana
British general officer to be named.
AT this meeting MFR. Lloyd George
/ DESIGNATED Gen. Sir Henry Wilson as
! the British representative, to the very
/ evident disappointment OF Gen. Robert
! son. who was present at the session.
| THE selection of Wilson was regarded
! by the British high command and the
war Office as open disapproval OF their
conduct of The war.
In accordance with the decision the
Executive War Board, as the admins
trative authority of the Supreme War
! Council, sent out instructions directing
| the French and British commanders in
| chief each to select a certain number OF
divisions to. form a part OF the general
reserve The number was finally hxed
/ at so in all; 10 British, 10 French and
z italian.
| Proportion of Line Problem.
The use of these reserves appeared
! somewhat indefinite, but the idea as
| brought out in the discussion seemed
! to be that certain divisions in each army
| would be designated as constituting
/ general reserve, to be so situated tnat
4 they could be moved expeditiously to the
! support of the army seriously attacked,
as might be determined after consulta-
! ton between the Executive War Board
! and the commander in chief OF the
army affected This plan of the SUI
preme War Council did not meet with
! the approval of the armies, especially
the British, who apparently regarded IL
as merely an indirect means OF assum-
! ing supreme command.
One other matter somewhat linked up
with this question of a general reserve
was the proportion of line that should
be held by the French and British
armies.
The French occupied about $40 miles
of front, with their right on the Swiss
border, while the British had only about
ITO miles, extending from the French
left near st. Quentin to the right OF
the Belgian army.
The French argued that they were
holding greater proportion OF line
than the British but the latter con-
tended that a large part of the French
front was inactive and did not require
many troops, while the British front
was active. After considerable discus
! sion the question was referred to the
| military representatives on the council
=
was not acceptable to the French, so the
matter was finally decided by agree
ment between Gen. Petain and Field
Marshal Haig, under which the British
were to extend their front some % miles,
to point near Barisis. This concession
was used later by Sir Douglas Haig as
one reason why he could not spare divi-
sionS for the general reserve
Under date of February 4, 1918,
| wrote Secretary Rakor.
I am sending this letter by Gen.
March, giving brief report of the ne
gotiationS concerning the troops to be
brought over by the British and trained
with their divisions.
Unwise to Split Divisions.
AFTER fully considering the matter
/ am quite convinced that 1t would be
unwise for us to break up divisions by
turning over Infantry battalions, as
such, for extended service with the
British. The main reasons are set forth
in my memorandum cabled to the de-
herewith.
Il am also inclosing two other
memoranda, one a conversation with
Marshal Joffre, which I would request
be held in the strictest confidence, and
another giving synopsis of confer
ence held between ourselves and the
| oAAVAoA Ol1 Tic OuDJ6CG LneH request
Tor men. From the former it will be
seen that the marshal takes the same
view that do regarding service with
the British. He further does not look
upon the situation on the western front
With quite so much alarm as is indi-
Gated in statements by Marshal Haig
and Gen. Petain
lone more word regarding this dis
cuSSlon. Gen. Bliss, upon his arrival
was inclined to accede to the British
request, basing his action upon the
cable he received from the chief of
staff, which stated that the proposition
had my approval, although I had not
intended to convey that impression.
So after further conference with him.
In which set forth the views of Mar
shall Joffre and similar views of Bril-
fish officer of high rank, given me in
confidence, Gen. Bliss agreed with me,
and we appeared before Mr., Lloyd
George in full accord. My views were
then fully set forth and were afterward
declared by Mr.. Llyod George to be en-
tirely sound
The Supreme War Council has been
In session since last Tuesday, during
which time the whole subject of the
conduct Of the war has been discussed
In It's different phases. Generally
speaking, the meeting was a success.
and the utmost harmony finally pre-
valleo. reasonably, am pleased with
the outlook for military cooperation.
We are at some disadvantage on the
diplomatic side in the council. I stated
70 Mr.. House when he was here that I
thought he should be our representa-
tive. He undoubtedly has the conf
dence Of the allied governments and
would add great strength to the SUI
preme council. / see by the dispatches
Ghat Mr.. Lane has also been suggested.
Gen. March is returning to America
as you requested. He will be difficult
to replace, but feel that you need the
best man We can find, so I cheerfully
let him go. He is in touch with plans.
organization and progress here and
understands the situation very we'll"
1917-18 Winter Was Hard.
1T has been said that the Winter of
1917-l8 was the most severe of the war.
The cold was at times so intense as to
make the generally unheated houses,
barns and lofts used as billets nearly
uninhabitable. The gloom of short days
and long nights in the isolated and
largely depopulated French villages can
hardly be described The snow was
unusually heavy in Eastern France, and
periodical thaws, with consequent mud
and slush in the trenches and dugouts,
greatly added To the discomfort of the