| Show OF ALLIES i 11 OA 1 I IOA J. J BIG HUN CO 75 IN CHURCH Wll WILSON ON WAR i POLICY WITH UNIFYING I Of W WEST T fRONT FORCES I Brilliant French General GenerI Gener Gener- I al to o Command All of I Entente Means Big Counter Smash Soon By International News New Service WASHINGTON March 2 29 V V The fhe appointment of General General Gen Gen- I eral cral Foch the great French Frenchi i strategist to he be supreme commander com corn mander r. r of all British Fren French h and n d American forces o on the western front WaR was a a. diplomatic triumph Tor for the tho United States It IL waR was recognized as such fluch b by President nt Wilson in a congratulatory congratulatory con con- gratulatory me message sago to the g generalissimo generalis con I simo eimo which had the approval of or the cabinet The mes message ge follows May I not convey to you my sincere sincere sincere sin sin- cere congratulations on your new au authority authority au- au Such unity of command Is la laa Isa isa a most hopeful augury augur of ultimate suc suc- cess We Wo are following with profound interest Inter st the bold and brilliant action of your forces The selection of General Foch is also I regarded ed as a signal for the beginning I of a crushing counteroffensive In which the united strength of or the entente powers powers powers pow pow- ers and America will be thrown against the German armies Operating as a a. unit of ot one great army and under the sole direction of the most brilliant milItary militar mil mil- milI mUI I I itar leader developed eloped b by the war the I I blow Is expected to send the Teutonic forces reeling backward t to a a. put SIDI crushing defeat The adoption of the plan Is a triumph triumph tri tn- tri tri- for the United States State because It was as first suggested by President Wilson Wil WU- I son SOUGHT UNITY ACTION When Colonel House was vas delegated to attend the war var conference I at Paris last November his Instructions Instructions Instructions were to regard all all' other questions ques ques- questions ques-I ques as a. secondary In importance to unity of action between the forces opposing opposing op op- opI op- I posing Germany The reed need net d of at greater reater cooperation became apparent to tho the president ent sarly last summer Colonel House made the proposal l on the first opportunity which v came several months later Both the th British and French side side- stepp stepped d The French because the war was being fought on French soil did not enthuse over the Idea of voluntarily volunta volunta- I rily nily relinquishing their armies to a n. British commander Tho British made madeno tho leadership leadership lead lead- no voluntary move to accept of a French general Tho part the United States was waa playing In tho the II great war I game was so small at tho the time that Colonel House HouseS even en with i backing ing from Washington was unable j to force torce acceptance of or the program I without arousing Jealousies lousIe which might have been fatal to the cause When hen news of the suggestion BUs reached London the Tory leaders In parliament The Tho security of or orthe raised a a. great furore the English government as all organized or at the time was threatened Lloyd G George who was In Paris at attending attending t at- conference was compelled compelled com corn tending the war to hurr hurry home His administration tion w was s In danger and aud It was admitted admitted admitted ad ad- he had bad been compelled to cut the Paris proceedings short In order to mend political fences In England I OBSERVED BY WILSON observed i These Thee The e developments do were b by President Wilson on Colonel House and Gen General ral with more than or ordinary ln r concern It Is understood understood- The rhe They did not however shake tho the of official of- of ficini opinion held In the tile United States I that unity of action on the part of or the allies was most essential to success The Tho president Is said to havo have been In 8 sympathy with the motives B which prompted the attitude of ot the tho French rench on the question of accepting military direction from fron a a. tor foreigner Not only had great reat 10 losses loes eJ alread already been suffered hut but the theer very er existence of or the French nation was at ut stake It II Is believed there th-e was an additional reason leason as Colonel House and General discovered In General Gen Gen- had both Perching pershing P eral Foch the g genius of ot a great reat leader loader ability of or British leadership or orthe orthe Th ThA I the valor of or British troops at no tim Continued on page 2 2 FOCH ALLIED LEADER Continued from page l. l entered Into the discussion The bra bravery cr of ot th time the e English soldiers had been most splendidly demonstrated on the battlefield but sentiment was waa with the French and they had a man wh who appeared to bo be equipped In every wa way to assume the responsibility General General Foch Colonel House reached Washington last night almost as soon as it had bc become become be- be come como apparent that opposition to the tho plan of ot single control had been aban- aban dined He was wal in conference with tho the president several times today and after the tho appointment of ot General Foch became became be- be came camo known made mado this statement I know General Foch ver very well I 1 like lIko him vcr very much I regard him as an a splendid general genera o EMPHASIZED BY SMILE 1 Emphasis was given to the tho simple statement from Colonel House by a smile smite which Indicated profound satisfaction satis satis- I faction with the choice had been I made In leadership for the allied armies I It was Wl said officially at tho the White I House that General Pershing's visit It to I II General Foch In Paris at which h tho the whole resources of or the American arm army had been placed at tho the disposal of th the French commander was In iii accord with specific Instructions from President Wilson Ilson It Is understood assurances s had al already at- at ready been o of the acceptance of or the high command by tho the French official Tho The consent of ot Great Britain was wae the subject ot of extended conferences in London between Secretary of ot War Val Newton D. D Baker and the tho British government go gov officials on Wednesday It i I Is not believed Mr r. r Baker encountered any serious opposition as Field Marshal Marshal Marshal Mar Mar- Sir Douglas Halg Haig had announced his willingness to tIght fight on under such leadership as the war council coun coun- cil cli or the heads of ot tho the several governments governments govern govern- ments monts Involved might choo choose e. e General Foch It is said is particularly particularly acceptable to tho the British because of ot the with which he lie the French French English English expedition I sent to Italy a short time ago Fochs Foch's generalship Is Js said to have stopped I the tho onrushing Austrians far tar short of or I their objectives even after tho the Italian army had been thrown back in great reat confusion contusion Tho The movement was accomplished In record record- record breaking time lind is listed as is isone one of ot tho the most conspicuous achievementS achievementS' achievements achievements' achieve achieve- ments' ments of or the war var Not only were the G AUstro-G Austro German forces checked but hut the support rendered enabled the Italian Italian Ital Ital- ian commanders to reorganize their armies s and lIaa again take the offensive COMMAND AT ONCE I General Foch It was thou thought ht will assume um command of or the allied armies I without dela delay Changes In Individual j i commands are said to le be unlikely OtI Of- Of I j tlc leers already in iii the fight tight are valuable I because of oC their experiences of ot the tho last I nine dt day fI The one certainty in the minds of ot administration officials as well as of I the general staff Is Js that a n terrific I offensive counteroffensive will start Immediately Immediate immediate- I Ily ly if it it has not already begun Last I hour reports which reached d the war department through h diplomatic channels chan chan- nels told of or a movement on the part I of ot the tho French troops to retake Mont I didler which was captured by the Germans on W Wednesday Tho The apex x of oC the German Gorman lint line ex extended extended ex- ex tended some three miles Montdidier Montdidier Mont Mont- didier in the direction of ot Amiens according according ac nc- ac- ac cording to the la last t official reports Today's Today's To To- 10 days day's information TV was as that the French were fighting at nt tho the vcr very edge of town n again This Thus was taken to indicate indi tadi- cate that the G Germans had been heen thrown back a considerable distance In thIs vicinity The desire to re regain Montdidier vas nR plain to tt tho the army strate strategists i ts as ns asIt I I It is an Important railway point and and gives access to one ono of or the main lines of c communication t tb tO Paris and southern south south- em ern rn France It Jt Is next In iii Importance I to Amiens apparently the objective of ot the tho last thrust made mado by t the e arm army of ot I the crown prince Army officials in Washington were Inclined to Joke at tho the expense of ot the thc I I navy department toda today over the thc re rep report report re- re I p port rt that Germany I I. I ig now sending II naval reserves to the front An official of of- tidal said It is not quite clear to me wh why our I navy with the British and the French I cannot find some wa way to 10 keep t the c Ger German man naval reserves cs occupied The Time information that G Germany rm n Is j I running short of or arm army reserves was r. r regarded with much satisfaction 4 |
