'Situation excellent. My center is broken and my right is giving way. I shall attack.'

On September 9th Foch discovered a fissure between two German commands, the Saxons and the Prussian Guards, and hurled the 42nd Division under General Grosetti suddenly into this breach, with results that are history. The tide was turned. Elsewhere on the long front other decisive actions took place, but none were of a more crucial character than the Ninth Army's superb victory in the marshes of St. Gond. Foch's orders of that September 9th show his theory of obstinate refusal to admit defeat.

"The German army is in the last stage of exhaustion; the units and the orders are hopelessly entangled; the command has lost its bearings. The vigorous offensive of our troops has taken the enemy by surprise; he counted on our offering no further resistance. It is of the last importance to take advantage of this state of affairs. At this decisive hour, when the honor and the existence of France are at stake, officers must draw from the energy of our race the strength to hold out till the moment when the enemy shall retire exhausted. The disorder in the German ranks is the sign of our coming victory; our army has only to throw all its energy into the continuance of this struggle, to stop the enemy's advance and hurl him out of our country.

But every one must be convinced that success is to those who hold out the longest.'

The first battle of the Marne was won, and the long dreary trench warfare was about to commence-nearly four years of stalemate not to be ended until this same Foch was given command over all the Allied Armies to coordinate their operations and build the final victory.

When he received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor for his work at the Marne, the citation stated his achievement as follows:

"For several days he held back the violent attacks directed against our center, and finally drove back the enemy to the northwards by a vigorous offensive, giving proof of calm determination and remarkable skill in maneuver, sustained by energy and tenacity that rose superior to every difficulty."

From that famous September 9, 1914 and the day, three and a half years later when he was entrusted with the Supreme Command, every move which Foch made would seem to have been planned not simply to fit him for this work, but to establish such confidence in him on the part of French, Belgian, and British troops that he could be chosen.

His first command of troops of various nationalities. came almost immediately after the Marne battle. The "race to the sea was on. Both sides extended their

flanks as rapidly as possible and Foch, now styled 'Assistant to the Commander in Chief," took up his headquarters at Doullens and later at Cassel in command of French, Belgian and British troops who were determined to hold the channel ports against the Germans. Foch could not issue orders to King Albert of Belgium, nor to Sir John French, but his exposition and his advice came to be listened to, and on the whole, was followed.

There is little of biographical interest to report upon the career of General Foch during the years of stalemate. He early became and remained General in Command of the Northern Front from Compiègne to the sea, where the chief endeavor was to co-operate with the British and Belgians, throwing in French troops at crucial moments where they were most needed.

By his tact and good will and staunch loyalty he endeared himself to the successive British commanders, Sir John French and Sir Douglas Haig. The war dragged slowly on to the Battle of the Somme, which some have designated as a counter-attack on a gigantic scale against the German offensive toward Verdun.

That spring-1916-Foch was driving rapidly along the north bank of the Marne not far from Meaux, far from any battle. A woman with a child tried to dash across the road just in front of the General's car, and

the chauffeur in doging her ran head-on into a tree beside the road. Foch was taken to the hospital at Meaux, and several wounds in his scalp were stitched. So important was his welfare considered to be, and so lowering to the morale of the troops would have been the news of his accident, that no announcement was made of it until after his recovery. While he lay in the hospital M. Briand, (then Premier) M. Poincare, (then President of the Republic), and “Papa” Joffre all met at his bedside in great anxiety. But they came away reassured. Foch was soon back at work, helping Lord Haig draw the plans for the Battle of the Somme.

Beginning on July 1, 1916 the Battle of the Somme developed into a protracted siege, and lasted a year and a half, until at New Year's, 1917, the Germans. retreated to the so-called Hindenburg line, and heartened the Allies with the first big gain of territory since the invading tide was hurled back at the Marne. Ill health forced General Foch to resign his command and take a rest in the summer of 1916. He was nearing the age at which French officers are automatically retired-65. But the Official Gazette of September 30, 1916 announced that the army regulations were to be waived in General Foch's case, because of his extraordinary services. "Without limit of age" his name was to be kept on Section 1 of the

General Staff, the section from which men are selected for high command.

He was soon at work forming a select committee of officers to draw plans for the future conduct of the war. At that time no one thought a unified command was feasible, and no efforts were being made in that direction. Yet no better preparation could possibly have been given to General Foch, if the aim had been deliberately to equip him for his future post.

He made up his little committee-including young General Weygand, who has since arrived at great distinction on his own account, and whom Foch had used as his Chief of Staff throughout his active campaigning, having discovered him at the Battle of the Marne. In fact Weygand has been in some sort a son to Foch. His only real son having been killed in the early days of the war, gallantly leading a charge against the Germans.

It was characterisite of Foch that, having formed his committee, he should set up his offices, not in Paris where repeated public appearances, dinners, and speeches are demanded of prominent generals, but thirty miles away in the little cathedral city of Senlis, where there was peaceful countryside and where he could live the out-of-door life he had always loved. First of all Foch and Weygand prepared against the German offensive which was threatened through