Valdez daily prospector., 1914-12-10
J0FFRE DIRECTS FROM QUIET SPOT
French Generals Headquarters In Village SchooIhouse 70 Miles
 From Firing Line.

GEN JOFFRE'S HEADQUARTERS, Dec. 10-The nerve center that moves more than 100000 men is in a village school house 70 miles be- hind the firing line. The rare observ- CT who is permitted to learn it's whereabouts, and approach, finds an absolute contrast between the tran guilty here and the intense action near the trenches. No cannon, ma chine guns, or rifles can be heard.
 The commander-in-ch chief co-ordi- mates his information and arrives at his decisions not only far from the disturbance of actual conflict but in the depth of the country, away from the first and second lines of reserves, the incessant movement of motor transport, and the dislocation of civil life. An air of repose surrounds the headquarters, but life is intense here also twenty-four-hour day of study and acts of judgment.
 What young colonels you have here," remarked the correspondent to member of the staff
 ] They are the men of the future," he replied. Some of these young colonels are at their desks at 5 in the morning and go to their quar- ters, in pleasant private dwellings near by, at 10 at night. They are re. lieved by others, and each sort of work goes on throughout the night" 1 Gen. Joffre has six subordinate nerve centers in the six armies into which the field forces are divided The six generals commanding these armies-Generals Pau, Foch, Deal stein, France d'Esperray, Castelnau, and Manoury-each with his general staff, are connected by direct tele- graph and telephone wires with head quarters. Gen. Joffre often talks ov. CT situations by telephone, receives suggestions, and gives orders, which are confirmed and recorded by tele- graph. He is also in direct and ire quent communication with Field Mar shal French and Belgian headquar. ters, and with Bordeaux and Paris. A single sentinel paces in front of the entrance. Except for a few forester guards, there are no soldiers in Gen. Joffres village except his group of youngish men on his staff, picked for their talents among the 50,00O officers of France The roads of approach are watched by gen. darmes, and it is impossible to en- ter the place except by pass either by the chief of Joffre's staff or by one of the few persons in the mili- tary administration authorized to sign such pass.
 The headquarters of commanding general used to be distinguished by the orderlies and horses in front, and his rank could be reasonbaly well determined by their number. Now it is the number of motor cars. Some of the long, high-powered runners are usually lined up in the playground of the school house. There is no | footing of horns. The cars come and go quietly and swiftly The represen- tative of the British war office, Col. Yarde-Buller. arrives, or the Russian military agent, or an officer from the immediate front, or delegate from the government but for the most part there is little coming and going. The vast business of the drama is transacted by wire. The meaning and significance of it all can only be de- termined by events remote from here
 When Gen. Joffre goes to the head quarters of one of the armies he has with him an automobile fitted as ar office. It looks inside very much like the little drawing rooms attach
 
 AT WITT