The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. A TRIBUTE TO HAIG.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1919, Page 3

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. A TRIBUTE TO HAIG.

In a cable message from London, dated the thirteenth of the present month, it was stated: "Sir Douglas Haig has been appointed Commander of the Home Forces." Having won the war, he passes from its theatre with a record and a reputation that will form a brilliant chapter of British military history. By a coincidence, his retirement from the chief command of the British Army on the Continent synchronises with the receipt in New Zealand of the full text of his despatch, containing an ' account of the final episodes pf the

war, in which he states: "In three months of epic fighting the British armies in France have brought to a sudden and dramatic end the great wearing-out battle of the past four years." It is noteworthy that it was in the critical days of Mons, in the early stages of the war, that Sir Douglas Haig won distinction, and that morning on which the armistice was signed Mons was captured by the Canadian Division, the whole defending force being killed or taken prisoners. The principal British attack, 'which was intended to bring the war to a victorious conclusion, was tuned to take place on November 1, and it commenced at 5.15 a.m. iu the vicinity of Valenciennes, and was continued with ever-in-creasing success until hostilities were suspended by the armistice. This was the finale of the titanic struggle which had lasted for over four years, but no one can read the plain, yet graphic, words of the Commander-in-Chief's memorable despatch without being thrilled with pride and thankfulness that Britain has still such brilliant and skilful generals as Sir Douglas Haig, who can defend the Empire and enhance its renown. In paying a well-merited tribute to the British commander, we in no way detach any of the credit of victory from Marshal Foch—the Moltke of France, whose strategic plans, had not the German surrender taken place, would assuredly have engulfed the whole of the enemy's forces, but it was the brilliant tactics and leadership of Sir Douglas Haig and his staff which enabled the great triumph to be accomplished. Anyone who takes sufficient interest in the closing episodes has only to read Sir Douglas Haig's despatch and follow the various movements on the map in order to realise the weaving of the net which was to enmesh the German armies. There is no doubt that Marshal Foch's strategy was singularly complete and comprehensive, and it is equally certain that the generals who carried out the schedule of operations ensured complete success—chief among them being Sir Douglas Haig, whose own words may aptly be quoted on this point. His despatch states: "The strategic plans of the Allies had been realised with a completeness rarely seen in war. . . A continuance of hostilities could only have meant disaster to the German armies, and the armed invasion of Germany." The achievement of the British Commander-in-Chief was all the more remarkable by reason of his having not only to fight a highly organised and thoroughly trained enemy, possessing as well a superiority in numbers, but he had to train citizens to war work and supply them with leaders who could obtain the best results—and the efficacy of those results is one of the marvels of the war. Considering that two-thirds of his work was construction during the intense stress of great campaigns, his triumph was all the greater. This is not the time for criticism or explaining away reverses. We turn, rather, to what has been accomplished with comparatively raw forces against an enemy who has made a science of war, and. for half a century prepared for the greatest military struggle in the history of the world, and when nothing but surrender saved that army from total destruction some idea can be formed of what Sir Douglas, and those associated with him in the great task of the Allies, accomplished vnth forces numerically inferior to those which were so signally defeated. It is well that the Dominions shared in this triumph, for the Commander-in-Chief was able to say: "The men who form' the armies of the Empire to-day have created new traditions which are a challenge to the highest records of the past, and will be an inspiration to the generations who come after us." No praise can be too high, nor any honor too great, for Sir Douglas Haig. He went to France at the outbreak of the war, and through all its vicissitudes remained steadfast, resourceful and confident. The strain must have been almost unbearable at times; yet his dogged determination never wavered. For generations his name will be a household word. His was not the task of an Empiremaker, but that of freeing humanity from oppression and tyranny, and securing the world's peace. It was a work well and nobly done, and the Empire may well hold him in high honor.