The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-29

rolled in only one study-mathe-
Ia. Robert Il. Lee stood at the
a. IL hN class at West Point in
sbamatics. The only study that
F. 6. Grant really cared for was
atbematics. While at the College
pnrpignan, as a boy Of 16, just
e,iors to the Franco-Prussian war,
s.uh Inffre stood at the head of his
e ia mathematics. While he ex-
$3.50 i'm other studies, mathematics
- the only n in which some one
H.. did not excel him.
from this boy has risen the General
roere who is leading the French
,uiee from defeat TO victory. His
g, will doubtless class him with
E,bins and George Washington as a
Ter Of defensive military strategy
49, hy the skillful use of an inferior
80. saved his country from the con-
cuest of a mighty war machine.
lonre ~ q French general is IN
anomaly. lie is Of quite different
tirbar from the Napoleonic MarShalS
M whom temperament, personality,
md inspiration were the chief requi-
sites. lie is an equally strong con-
trast with the generals of Napoleon
III the rash MacMahon, the timid
Erossard, and the atuou BaZaine.
The present leader OF the armies of
me ~tricolor is thoroughly twentieth
century in his methods of tempera-
mout. He is IN organizer of victory.
For years he las preached and prac-
iiced thorough preparation. The con-
seriousness of this careful preparation
was with him when the wal came, and
permitted him to endure u month of
reserve without casting his all in a
decisive battle. while he chose his own
fine and place for the final test Of
arms.
The temper Of Joffre's mental habit
IL we'll expressed in an address he de-
iivered Il few years ago to former
pupils of the Polytechnic school in
Paris.
Organization Above All.
Everything must be organized he
sand then. Everything foreseen.
once hostilities commence, improviSed
measures will be worthless. Men will
have 10 be organized with the utmost
detail in order to give the maximum
of force and Of mobility. In order
that they may know how to join the
rolors they must be shown how to
get there. There must be on our lines
of communication a movement of cir
c~ulation as vital as is that Of BLOOD to
the human body. Ours is a struggle
of speed, OF order, Of intensity. Money
and trouble spent on ornaments and
preparation are not wasted. Woe to
those who fall into the snare of pa
citic illusionsl Woe to those who are
moi ready"
ii thus appears that the recent tri-
unphs of the French arms were not
the triumphs Of the days OF weeks in
\ winch they were made, but were the
triumphs of Joffre and his system in
the years that have preceded.
When the great war began very few
Americans had ever heard of Genera
iofre. We were familiar with the
names Of English and German lead
rrs, and with the Russians We haC
become familiar during the Russo
japanese war. But OF the Frenchmer
We were quite ignorant.
Yet III France the name of Joffr'
mas been eminent for 81 decade, an(
since the beginning of the war ha;
become q household word, His swa!
Is now as absolute as hat of any Gar
tie sends IL messenger each day t
,he government, but he receives non,
III return. A writer in The Londol
oaiiy Mail recently quoted the Min
ister Of War. NJ. Millerand, as saying
ana with pride, not resentment: eff
We're 10 take "a motor car and driv
nto the zone of operations withou
.iehefal J~otfre's permission, Genera
'onFe would have me turned out"
Jolire has always been known in til
rfehch army, so says an officer VIII
iorilierly served under him, as a so
'ler VINO has always ~passionately con
ended that when fighting once begin
= commander must take absolut
shafee; and that no pity, no persona
'dVoi, above all no politics, should b
allowed TO influence in the slighte:
me conduct of the campaign. IL
must be, within the zone Of operation
ne uhdlSputed master. Joffrc ha
several times publicly said that if T,
lueSted by the proper authority h
WIN give up his post as general!
hnto TO another, but that as long ;
~ Is IN supreme command he will n,
"are either responsibility or power.
suppose France had had a Joffl
1870. lie would not have done
md MacMahon. who marched h
",'shilcent army into the trap
"Vt at the request of Empress FL
1'"le' In TACT. SO far he has avoide
u.s. OF the blunders made i'll tn
'efrible year.
I'm