SECRET OF MUTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1922, Page 8

SECRET OF MUTINY.

IN THIRD YEAR GF WAR. ‘ PETAIN STAVED OFF DISASTER. Towards the end of May, 1917, after the second battle, of the Aisne, there was a mutiny of a very serious nature in the French army among corps in reserve, which spread to the men in the line. Although thousands of people knew about it, not a word appeared in print then or since, until now, with the publication of the third volume of Mr. John Buchan’s “A History of the Great War,” Mr. Buchan gives a vivid account of what happened. After a description of the battle, one result of which was the succession of General Petain to the command in place of General Nivelle, Mr. Buchan says: “Petain, on his succession to office, found a grim problem before him. The battle had been like a chemical which, when added to a compound, produces an explosion, and the superb moral of the soldiers of France seemed to be in the gravest jeopardy. “As early as February, Nivelle had complained of pacifist and Communist propaganda among his troops. There were evil elements in French life which seized the occasion of the fatigue and disillusionment of the soldier to instil the poison of cowardice and treason. The rank and file had many grievances. “Liave was hard to get, and when it was gi anted the permissionaire found such difficulties in reaching his family that most of his scanty time was taken up by the journey. Intense bitterness was roust d by letters from home, which told the peasant of the struggle of hi? womankind to keep his farm in cultivation vhile the workmen of the town were exempted by thousands for muni • tion mak'ng. There was dire confusion in th ? medic ’l services during the battle, and wounded were sent all over France to spread despondency by the tale of their needless sufferings. The first signs of revolt appeared about 10th May, no* in the troops fighting on the Ainse, but in the corps which had been some months in reserve.

"1 ne contagion spread to the men in the line, and in certain divisions nearest Paris the mutiny seemed to have something of the character of a first step to political revolution. “The crisis showed Petain at his best. On the one hand he insisted on reforming flagrant abuses. New regulations were passed granting as a. right ten days leave every four months, with the result that 350,000 F’-pneh .soldiers were on leave at one time as against 80,000 British.” c 4. f Mr. Buchan says that the comfort ot the fighting men and his dependants was enormously increased. “The penal measures were few: less than a dozen suffered death as mutineers. But Petain set himself to a oreat work and created a profound impression when he visited and addressed the officers and men of over one hrnnlre’l divisions. He had no tricks to win popularity. no easy geniality, none of the air of the ‘bon enfant’; he was always grave and dignified, always the general-in-chmf. But such was the atmosphere of calm resolution which ho bore with him that he moved audiences which the most finished orations would have left untouched. By the noddle of June the danger was past”