ps: "The retreat has ended, not another foot; you die here
or the enemy goes back!" He had chosen the psychological moment. The
French and English had burned and broken the bridges as they retreated,
and with the recoil the German communications were in danger.

A fresh force of 50,000 held in reserve near Paris flew by motors and
motor-busses against the right wing of Von Kluck, which the English in
retiring had been punishing so heavily. Von Kluck had been drawn too
far into France with no support on his left from the army of the Crown
Prince, which the French had held at bay but with a tremendous
sacrifice of men. The German ammunition and supply-trains were broken
and the armies of Von Kluck were hurled back from Paris about as
rapidly as they had come forward.

Then the Kaiser took a hand and cried, "Now for the English; take the
Channel ports; forward against Calais!" and again, as at Liege, the
blood of the Germans soaked the soil of Belgium. The Allies dug
themselves into the ground behind the rivers and canals, and drowned
the Germans out in front; and when an advance by the seacoast was
attempted, the English naval guns spilled havoc into the German
battalions. Four nationalities grappled in a death-struggle, but the
wall of the Allies held from Switzerland to the sea. The Allies worked
most harmoniously. Belgian knowledge of topography proved superior to
the German general-staff maps. The English buttressed the French
financially and in transportation and food-supplies. Indeed, Kitchener
at one time fed two French army corps, or 80,000 troops, for eleven
days without a hitch.

Although England had not the trained men, she had the fundamental
military organization, transportation, food, and finance.

CHAPTER VII

FRENCH FINANCE

Delayed Budgets--The Caillaux Position--Outgeneralled in Finance--Gold
Reserves Undiminished--Allied Finance--No Financial Legislation--The
National Defense Loans.

The spectacle of England loaning money to rich France--20,000,000
pounds sterling, or $100,000,000--was something most surprising.

The French have been considered among the best financiers and
economists of Europe. The whole world has been envious of the saving
ability of France, and has invited the overflow of her accumulations
into their local enterprises. For many years France has had the lowest
interest rates and a considerable surplus to invest in outside
countries. It is upon France tha