Even when the Cambrai—Le Cateau position had been reached he
must fall back further, for the enveloping movement still threatened him, and the ground, though already entrenched, was not suitable for a firm resistance. The exhausted troops therefore retreated, fighting all the way, to the Vermand—St. Quentin line. August 26th was the most critical day, and the French, always retreating on the British right, could still give no help. The British left was terribly exposed. On that day it was in the highest degree dangerous to attempt a further retirement, and yet, as Sir John French says, the attempt was the only alternative to complete annihilation. The artillery, though outnumbered by four to one, kept up an heroic fight, and fortunately the Germans themselves had suffered too heavily to pursue. Sir John French says plainly that the British left wing was saved on the 26th by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The Committees of the Football Association and the League have decided to carry through their usual programmes for the season. Hired players, we understand, are to be drilled and taught the use of the rifle, and it is pointed out that the Relief Funds will greatly profit by the allocation of football gate money. Many other arguments are advanced, but we can only say that they one and all leave us absolutely unconvinced. We may be content to lose the services of the hired players who prefer the lesser " field " to the greater, but the mere continuance of spectacular football will hold under its spell at home hundreds of thousands of young men who ought to be in Lord Kitchener's Army. Every one of those "sweet little men" (vide the verses of Oliver Wendell Holmes which we print elsewhere) will be a shirker largely because of the decision of the Football Association and the League. Many of the famous Rugby clubs, on the other hand, have set a fine example. We do not envy the less noble Committees their responsibility. Their decision is a thing to be ashamed of. The grounds are said to be open to the recruiting officers. But the only man who has so far attempted to tell footballers their duty at a popular match was shouted down by the " sweet little men."
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