THE D'ARTAGNAN OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1916, Page 3

THE D'ARTAGNAN OF THE WAR.

AMERICAN PICTURE OP GENERAL FOCH. s ••GREATEST IN THE WAR,"

New York, Sept. 12. The New \'ork Tribune publishes a pen-picture of General Foeh, written by Fred. B. Pitnov, its Paris correspondent. Mr. Pitney begins by quotin» a prominent "persnnality" in Paris for ■the following appreciation of the great leader of the French armies on the Somme:—

''General Foeh is the great general the war has produced in France, lie has intuition and the. power of divination. He 13 great in his instant,grasp of a situation, his perception of the needs, his vision of the next hour. General Jofire is his warmest admirer." Describing the General's personal appearance, Mr. iPitney says:-"He is not tall, i) feet B inches in height, but vou do not see that till afterwards. What you see.first is his eye. He has a large well-shaped head, rather thin iron-»rey hair, and a broad, high, forehead. °rli's grey eyes, set wide apart, bore through you and burn you up and smile on you, all at the same time. His nose is large, Ws mouth wide and straight, and his fiercely benevolent iron-grey moustache, first comes down over the corners of his mouth and then points straight up at his eyes. Ifis chin is massive from any point of view, "In a- short survey of the war situation General Foeh said:—'The battles in Artois and the Champagne have shown that v.c can cut the German lines, io through them, and drive them back as we please when the time comes that our plans have fixed.' There was a matter-of-fact deliniteness about this statement that put it outside the realm of discussion, and when I recall this meeting with General Fo';h the picture my mind most dwells upon is of him at that moment. He stood facing us in his most characteristic attitude, with his right foot n little jn advance, his left hand in 'his pocket, and his right hand drugging upward the point of his grey moustache, and there was in his expression a mixture of pleased recollection, happy anticipation, and grimi determination.

'■One must think.of D'Artagnan when one thinks of General Foeh; but one thinks also of (.irant in the Wilderness. There is something in him that is steadfast, and something more that is relentless."

Mr. Pitney concludes his sketch by quoting the Order of the Day in which the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor was conferred upon General Foeh, iind which said:— "He has .-hownw under all circumstances, both in defensive and offensive operations, a strategic ability without parallel. Thanks to his indisputable authority and the adroitness of his counsels, he has contributed"in a great part to the co-ordination of the egorts of the Allied armies, and thus has"rendered most eminent service to the nation."—Central News.