New-York tribune., 1914-10-05
Correspondent at Front
Says Communiques Hide
Allies Good News.
FRENCH SOLDIERS
SHOW GREAT VALOR
Germans Failure TO Reach Paris
Said To Be Worth New Army
TO General JOffre.
frs Cable 10 Tn. Tribune I

London. Oct. . "Thc Daily Chron-
icle" to-day contains the following dis
patch sent by correspondent from a
town in France the name Of which is
withheld:
France knows that good news turks
behind the yelled hints of the official
bulletins. II ~ better news, even, than
that of the fighting at Royc, where Ba-
yarian regiments have been Gu up and
routed by a surprise attack in which
the French infantry, which had ad-
vanced with amazing rapidity, were
hurled upon the cncmyS lines under
cover Of darkness. The enemy was de-
moralized by that sudden onslaught.
Its attempt at retreat developed into
disordcrly panic. Hundreds Of Ba
yarians were killed and large numbers
captured.
"Afterward, as We know, General Won
kluck and his staff officers sent up re
inforccments, and divisional officers Of
the enemy succeeded in rallying their
men and sending them to execute a
counter attack But the French in
fantry gained ground as far as La
Chayatte, and General Joffre has him
self announced that the enemy's vio-
lent efforts to regain their position
have been rcpulsed and shattered.
"Thc net has closed in upon them
and all their struggling has only made
il bulge out into a prcposterous shape
which cannot be called a line. The
German front on the right wing is n
series Of crratic curves and sharp
a"glcs into which the French have
driycu wedges To the extreme north.
the flank attack Of the Allies is threat
cu,ng. Their main positions are IN
the centre. which will soon become un-
tcrable. Lower down on the west
their army corps are practically di-
yided by French columns. At Las
s.gnv. according to news already pub
Eshed. large force of the enemy Is
entirely surrounded.
French Strategy Wins.
Their only hope now lies m the
trenches which they have been digging
icr the last fortnight. and the heavy
misses Of men they arc withdrawing
from the centre 20 strengthen their
light wing aud their long line Of com
muuications. IT. was for tins purpose
that they made such violent attacks
mon tho British lines. sS described
j., the official report of General SIR
John French, that the tremendous can
noradc was 10 mask the westerly
movement Of their reserves behind the
lines.
"It was meant to conceal Withdrawal
of their main forces from AlSacc and
Lorraine in answer to appea S for help
scnt bv wireless messages from Gen
eraI Won Kluck and other commanders.
Those messages we're intercepted and
read al the French wireless station.
They were read by French officers, who
smiled TO each other with the knowl-
edge that General Won Kiuck would be
nightly surprised. As we know from
another wireless dispatch from Gen
cral Won Kluck. he was taken utterly
bv surprise. French strategy has out
mannuvred the enemy's headquarters
g,aff at every turn after the hrst
phase Of the war.
But there is another reason for
the defeat Of the enemy's hopes. II
is the spirit Of the French soldier. |
have lived in the midst OF the French
n oops since the beginning Of the war,
and | think ! may claim now to know
q little of the psychology that am
mates them. They are wonderful men,
with a fine strain OF blood IN them
which makes them brave IN spite oil
q more vivid imagination than belongs
70 our own Tommies, and gay IN spite
of moments of self-pity when they
think of the women and children
whom they have left behind. They
hate this war and find it horrible;
jntelligence is so highly cultured even
in the ranks that they discuss the
ethics Of the war.
Soldiers Philosophers.
"Tbc soldiers talk like bearded phil
osonbers. and arrive at the conclusion
tbat il is a stupid barbarity forced on
tbem by the enemy, but t,ey fight with
a beroism beyond all praise, and are
oager TO risk and lose their lives al
most TOO rashly and gallantly. Al the
present moment they are in their best
form tuned up, as one of them de-
scribed il, 20 the top note oil en-
thusiasm.'
"The fact that the Germans we're
baked OF their entry into Paris has
becn worth more than new army
corns TO General Joffre. Il lifted a
heavy Ciy weight from the backs of the
french soldiers; it broke the spell Of
the enemy's advance, and restored his
own self-contidence. Now he IS sure
of victory. and he counts his own ne
as nothing so that france may De I'D
go manv of its villages and destroyed
so much OF its beauty.
General Jofre can do anything he
t;tos with his soldiers, demand from
them superhuman courage and endur-
ance and count upon their utter self
sacrifice. because, like the soldiers OF
Napoleon. they are now sure OF tneir
own power and are fired with the spirit