The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-16
Continued from last issue)
CHAPTER xxxIH

ready to accept II IN principle when
proposed.
In response to a notice from Pre-
mier Clemenceau l went, April 3, to
Beauvais to meet with the supreme
war council. Arriving early. Colonel
Boyd and 1 had to wait an hour at the
hotel de vile before NJ. Clemenceau
and Lloyd George came into the con-
ference room. Marshal Haig, General
Foch, Petain. Sir Henry Wilson, Bliss,
Weygand and myself were the others
participating.
Brigadier General SpierS acted as
interpreter, and Lieut., Col. Sir Mau-
rice Hankey, who usually accompanied
Mr.. Lloyd George, as recorder. The
meeting was finally called to order by
NJ. Clemenceau, who stated its pur-
pose, saying in substance:
1--WE have come together to settle
a very simple question regarding the
functions of General Foch. I think
we are all in agreement as to the CO.
ordination of allied action, hut there
is some difference in the understand
ing of General Foch's powers as con-
ferred upon him at the Doullens con-
ference of March &c. General Foch
will explain his difficulties"
Foch Calls for Action.
General Foch then set forth briefly
his situation, as follows:
"The powers conferred blythe Doul-
lens conference were limited to the
coordination of action between the
allies. They were conferred while the
action was on. The power to co-ordi-
nate has been construed to be limited
to the time the allies were in action.
That was March 26 at Doullens. Now
we are at April 3.
snow that the two opposing armies
are no longer in action but have
stepped and are facing each other,
there Is nothing to coordinate. There
should be authority to prepare for &C.
tion and direct 1t. So we are right
back where we were, and nothing can
be done until an action starts again.
Lloyd George Pleads for Unity.
GAIs tHCh ChtClSu tAV
discussion, saying substantially:
1--WE have had more than three years
of this war and We have not had unity
Of action during that time. During
the last year we have had two kinds
Of strategy, one by Haig and another
by Petain, both different, and nothing
= has been gained. The only thing that
was accomplished was by General
Nivelle, when he was in supreme CON-
mand.'
General Foch is now empowered to
coordinate the action of the allied
armies, but this does not 60 far
enough, as he has no authority to con-
troll except by comforting with the re-
spective commanders in chief. He
wants authority to prepare for action.
/ think the resolution made at Doul-
lens should be modified so that we
may have a better understanding. I
should like to hear what General Bliss
and General Pershing have to say"
Pershing Gives His Views
I then gave my view, which was set
forth in a brief memorandum prepared
in pencil after the discussion began, as
follows:
"The principle of unity Of COM
mand is undoubtedly the correct one
for the allies to follow. do not be-
lieve it is possible to have unity Of
action without a supreme commander.
- ho. o1r had nvnnriQnrn
enough in trying to coordinate the op-
erations of the allied armies, without
success. There has never been real
unity Of action.
"Such coordination between two or
three armies is impossible no matter
who the commander in chief may be.
Each commander in chief is interested
in his own army and cannot get the
other commanders. point of, view nor
grasp the problem as whole. / am
in favor of supreme commander and
believe that the success of the allied
cause depends upon it.
II think the necessary action should
be taken by this council at once. l
am in favor of comforting the supreme
command upon General Foch."
When I had finished Mr.. Lloyd
George came over to where sat, took
me by the hand and said:
81 agree fully with General Pershing.
This is well put"
After some further informal discus
sion, a draft of the resolution was
submitted which omitted reference to
the American army. Whereupon l
called attention to the oversight, say
ing:
II think this resolution should in
clude the American army. The arrange
ment Is to be in force, as / understand
1t, from now on, and the American
army will soon be ready to function as
such and should be included as an en-
.tity like the British and French
armies"
'There is no American army yet as
SUCH" General Petain interjected, "as
It's units are either in training or are
amalgamated with the British and
French"
Pershlng Has U. 8. Included.
"There may not be an American
army in force functioning now" l re-
: Dlied "hut there soon will he and |