The Washington herald., 1914-09-21
THE SILENT JOFFRE.
Is Almost the Incarnation OF the
Soul of Franee.

Like William the Silent and Moltk.,
who was silent in seven languages, ''
General Joffre is notably taciturn and
he has been silent through a laborous
military career of forty-four years He
is now sixty-One, but still in the full
vigor Of his strength OF body and mind
and by far the most noteworthy fS-
ure which this surprising war has 80
FAR disclosed. ClemenCeaU sharply crit
icised him and the others OF tie gen
eral stan. but he. too has reversed his
judgment since the mobilization proved
their foresight and complete orEaniza-
more and General JOffre viii be the in
carnation of the soul OF Trance in her
life-and-death struggle
Jonre was a tirst-year military engi-
necr at the difficult ECOlc PolyteChn!GUe,
and only seventeen years OF age when
the war Of $50 broke out He enlisted
and fought like the rest to the bitter
end. He came out lieutenant and was
employed. when peace allowed on the
plans for the new fortifications OF Paris.
Marshal MaCMlhon who was himself
amid the other officers in a visit to
one OF the forts. and Unexpectedly sa-
luted him-"Ny compliments. Captain
So he was a captain at twenty-five Ions
before his time: and he was sent to
organize the defences OF POntarlier. just
where the Germans, if they break
through at Belfort. may now sweep
down along the Swiss frontier.
Then he went out to build forts IN
Tonkin. but Admiral Courbet. who was
in charge, scented the born commander
and set him to fighting at the head OF
the troops. He was kept ightirS next
in Dahomey, and he was the first to en-
ter Timbuctoo-speakinE never a word.
He was silent IN MADAGASCAR. where he
fortified Diego SuaTCZ nightly Back in
France. he was made a professor at the
Higher War School. and became sue
cessively general Of brigade. OF division.
and Of a corps d'armee. He came TO have
the confidence OF all as strateGist and
orEaniZtr-and with all the radical hos
tility to the army he was never re-
preached with reaction or not being
faithful to the republic When the nom
ination Of general-in-Chief had to be
made by the Higher War Council. c. u.
Pau, who lost his arm At Sedan. pointed
with his remaining hand T. JonTe-anG /
the nomination was unanimous.
The public knows little Of persons. bat
II knew that the law Of thS"e Years
scrvi q. which has saved I
France. was due .a-Eeiv to Ger. Jonre /
foresight Ard those th-e" weeks Of his |
command have made confidence in him |
universal Time will tell how far his !
silence will lead 10 victory. but until now |
no newspaper correspondent even knows |
where GcneraI-in-chief JOftre and his |
were placed yesterday or /
TODAY. or shall be tomorrow. 'Joffre 5 |
headouarters said a military man who |
may have known and may not. its a |
The Pope who has just died would |
have liked that figure Of speech. for h !
more than once expressed his opinion |
that even his monks talked too much |
this all but universal war will /
lrift sun ring humanity toward a new |
FRA. whcr, silence shall be appreciated /
Is strength. And this time. let it be
loted while it lasts. the silent man is
he observation-disclosures correspond
,nce Of the New York Evening Post.