Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-27
jOFFRE'S OFFICE
TRANQUIL PLACE
Head Of the French Army Never
Near Enough to Firing Line to
Hear the Heavy Guns.
EVERYTHING Is SYSTEMATIC
staff works like whssIs OF Clock
IN OWNS ana Receivins infor7
nation In Behalf OF the
Army at the Front.

Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
GENERAL JoFFREs HEADouAR-
TIERS, Nov. 7.--The nerve center that
moves more than 2.oo0.00o men IL IN a
village school house seventy miles be-
hind the firing lines The rare observer
who is permitted 10 learn its whereabouts
ana approach finds an absolute contrast
hetween the tranquility here and the In
tense action near the trenches, No can
noa, machine guns or rifle fire can be
heard here. .-,
The commander.in7chief c9-ordlnates
his information and arrives At his de-
eisions not only far from the disturbances
Of actual conflict but ~ the depth OF the
country away from the first and second
line Of, reserves, tina incessant movement
Of motor transports and chs dlslocation
Of civil life Al cir o. rcpose SURROUNDS
che headquarters, but life h iintense here
slss. a. n enty-four-honr-dayt Of study
and acts OF judgment.
use young CoidneIs.
what young colonels you have here
remarked the correspondent 70 emembar
OF the STAIR.
''They are the'me Of the futpraf he
replied. 'Eome Of these young colonies
ara a. their desks at IN the morning
and so@to their quarters in pleasant,
private dwellings nearby at 10 At night
They are relieved BIZ othsrs and work
coca on throusheus the nisht,
General 1offre has siE subordinate
nerve centeFB N the six armies into which
the field fcrcea are divided The slx
generals commanding these armies are
Pau Foch. Dalsfain. Eranche D'Esper-
ray Castelar, and ManouFy, each with
hls general start, are connected BY direct
telegraph and kelephone wires with head
auartcra General Joffre often talks over
situations BY teiephone and receives sus-
gestions and gives orders. which are con.
fsrmed and recorded by telegraph. He
y aisn n direct and frequent commuhi-
cation With Ffeld Marshal French and
Belsian headquarters. and with Bordeaux
ana Paris. -
only Guards around.
A single sentinel PAGES IN front Of the
entrance. Except for few forester
guards. there are no soldiers in General
Joffre's village except the youngish men
on hia staff, picked Tor their talents from
among the EeQoo Officers OF France. The
t.%Na~ " aHNhNa1h aIt .NAkcutu uN sol
diers, and Il e Impossible 20 onter the
plaee except BY a pass signed BY a..
chief q General 1offre's staff or BY on,
81 the few persons IN Che military I'd
minlstFation authorized 70 slgn such Z
pass The heaaquarters Of q commanding
sanerai used 70 be distinguished by ths
orderlien and horses "a front. and hlu
rank could - pretty well determined B,
their number. Now Il is the number a
motor cars. Some fifteen or twenty long
hlKh-power runners are Usually lined M
~ me playground OF the school hoube
The representative OF the British VA,
Office Colonel Butler. arrives or m.
Russiau, nilitayyr aepRt. or an ,officel
from the immediate fronA or 4 de,erat,
from the government. but, Tor the mo-,
part. there is little coming ana going
The vast business Is transacted by wire
The meaning and Significance OF Il Al
een. ppls pe eesermipad By events remos,
from here
General Joffrs. when he goes 70 m,
HEADQUARTERS % enc OF the armies, ma
with him an automobile fitted a. an OF
fice. u looks inside very much IKE ~
Dtfiq drawing rooms attached % steatne
cabins, "A writing desk lets down from
one end. Two divans are along the hlde
and there are convenient devices ~
nockcting. the papers.
General Joffra. himself appears IN
sF%Fe calm mood and In ylgorous health