New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-09

self. and has given confidence 20
other. His stan never cor moment
doubts his capacity 10 win and that
conviction has percolated through 70
the masses Of the troops. Il has made
him popular, though he has done moth
ing 20 cugcnGer that; on the contrary
lie eschews popularity. He lives apart
from press "reclame'; he does not seek
il and he dislihCs II. To those VINO at
tack him and to those who defend him
he shows an equal Indifference. Junior
officers sometimes take ND the cudgels
Tor him iu a news paper-for JOitrc has
made enemies, ike most strcng men -
bat he disrege-Gs their good oiticeS,
just AS he disrcgards criticism. None
can say that lac uWea his promotion ~
having defended Joffre. Military merit
!. the OIly quality recognized by the
gcneralIssinlo.
But ii he appears 10 take 10 notice
o. attacks, particularly IN the popular
press, he !. none the less very open 10
ideas, and listens attentively when a
likely plan is presented TO him. He
knows how 70 combine the best in his
own aud other peoples projects. He
is modest AS he is uuassuming. His
readiness TO accept suggestion has fos-
tered the belief that lie is an adapter
and organizer rather than strateeIst.
lie Is both. His campaigns show the
older ~ we'll as the engineer and
organizer But his great ma@im Is
that IN war nothing can be improyised.
Every detail must be thought out; that
marks his superiority over other mod
ern commanders. \ long preparation
las gone IL each succc s.. lie succeeds
because hc takes tire infinite trouble
necessary - secure d..
Pew vi ms pupils al Toutaineblcau,
whore Ac became professor OF military
construction. thought OF him, imagine,
as the future omuauder-iu.c1iCf. lie
has 40 parade. no pose, and Is not 1T
all the type OF beau cavalier dear ~
the hearts OF romantic French demoi-
sellcs. He h. just a plain soldier, mod
ern and scientific. lie Is savaut with
out the faults oil sayant Ills mass OF
theory is leayened by high sense %
the practical. He understands the COM
mon soldier and what to expect from
him. He knows how TO raise him on
the battle vi the Marine was o. the
stun Of revolutionary generals. you
must be prepared 70 die rather than
yield ground he said; "Weakncss will
not toe tolerated. lie is more direct.
you see, and less rhetorical ;hau Na-
poleon calling the Pyramids TO witness.
Jofrc was not known 10 the world
40 large when. lee 1871. he was placed
IN command OF the French army. Few
had heard his name. lie had worked
silently oil these years. and he con-
tlnues TO work a. silently as is COM
patible with his high position. In this
he Is aided, 10 must bc said, by the
Republican prejudice against thc no
torlety OF generals. Joifres order OF
the day giving praise 20 dc Castelnau.
Oh his elevation IN the Legion o.
Honor, was suppressed I'm the Bor-
oeauN papers by the censor, apparently
because it "as considered 20 be against
the interests Of the republic that q
general should become popular.
That Is better than the practice IN
1870, when generals names were ban.
oied IN drawing rooms and attached to
imaginary exploits. To-day IT is 4
war Of silence and anonymity. Il ac-
cords with the genius Of Joire, which
ilourlshes best removed from publicity
And the very nature OF the lighting
tayors lnartlculatc war. IL is war
OF fatigue and resistance; he who
wears tine longer wins. II 10 soldiers
Way, iu Which quality and equipment
play the leading role; II is scientific"
war--Gernan made-ss opposed to
artistic war Of Napoleon, and Jofre
has become u master OF the new sys.
temi which he did not invent.