WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

CAMPAIGN OF THE MUD! PASSCHENDAELE 413
at least General Charteris had not discerned them. And if
he had, he was proof against their maleficent influence. He
could not help his hopeful reports. His computations were
not mathematical, but temperamental. From the mass of
information that came into his office he chose his facts and
figures by attraction and not reflection. He could only be
caught by a bright fly. That he swallowed up to the gut.
It naturally pleased Haig to have carefully chosen and
nicely cooked little titbits of "intelligence" about broken
German divisions, heavy German casualties, and diminishing
German morale served up to him every day and all day. He
beamed satisfaction and confidence. His great plan was
prospering. The whole atmosphere of this secluded little
community reeked of that sycophantic optimism which is
the curse of autocratic power in every form. At Chantilly,
the same kind of thing blunted the native shrewdness of Joffre
and turned the head of Nivelle. It blinded the Czar to the
approach of the menacing icebergs that were converging
towards his golden barque and ultimately crushed it like
matchwood.
When the time came to review Passchendaele, Sir
William Robertson attached most of the blame to these
reports.
As for General Kiggell. the Chief of Staff, he had the
air of a silent craftsman, whose plans, designed and worked
out by his art in the seclusion of his workshop, were turning
out well and proceeding inexorably without a hitch to the
destined end.
During this visit, Sir Douglas and his Staff dwelt repeatedly
on the visible deterioration in the physique and
smartness of the German soldiers, judged by the specimens
captured in recent victories. I expressed a desire to see them.
The proposition was received without any enthusiasm. Would
I not prefer to see the Vimy Ridge where I could get a view