Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-06
GENERAL MAUD'HUY
HAS NO S|NECURE
Up With the Dawn, He Is One of
Busiest Men in North
ern France.
BRILLIANT AND AMIABLE
Journalist Gives Impressions of
Visit to Camp Of Fa-
nous Warrior.
BRILLIANT AND AMIABLE
BY GEORGE DuEREsNE.

perhaps remember. the French general
STAFF recently invited representatives
OF neutral newspapers TO visit tho
French front and describe what they
saw. furthermore promising them that
nothing they sent 20 their papers at
nom" would he censored IL they would
give their word OF honor not to men
tiou military movements or give the
numbers Of regiments they saw or in
dicaic tho strength Of the French re-
serves behind the first lines
This promise readily given. the
correspondents were taken toward tho
'front.' IN luxurious automobiles ard di-
vded into :wo separate parties.
The Journalists representing America.
Japan. Russia and England going south
20 General Castlenau's army. while
INC rest, representing Holland. Italy
and Scandinavian countries. north TO
General Maud'huy's headquarters
one OF the latter has kindly allowed
M" To make use Of his impressions at
this place simultaneously with their
publication in a Copenhagen paper.
TELLS OF FIRST MEETING
WITH GENERAL MAUD'HUY
Il shall never forget our flrst meet
ing with General Maud'huy." no writes
His entry among US had been care
fully stage-manaEcd. In the town hall
OF a small town in Northern France
the name OF which have promised not
10 mention, we were received By Col
one! R early in tho morning He
regretted that the general in COM
mand was exceedingly busy and. there
fore. could give US only few mo-
rpents simultaneously he sent mes
senger TO Inform the general OF our
arrival
"of General Maud'huy we all know
that ne is on" OF the Youngest most
brilliant and amiahlc officers in the
French army. He belongs 10 an old
Brittany family OF naval officers. being
the ;irst member TO serve in the army
lie had n very important share in the
success OF the battle OF the Marine and
when later the attacks OF six newly
arrived German army corps north OF
General castclnau's position between
the Sommc and the Disc began, Cen
cral Maud'huy was given command Of
this army, which adjoins the British
under Sir John French
While the colonel was busy explain.
ing 10 US the task OF this army. the
door was suddenly thrown open and a
little energetic officer with dark eyes
and lightning like movements sudden
IL stood among US. II was the gen
eral. He hurricdlv greeted officers
and spondents shaking hands
with each OF US. II Was thus We met
General Maud'huy. one OF the busiest
men In France to-day, AZ : o'clock in
tho morning.
"He is up before dawn every day. and
eats n hearty breakfast, consisting of
SOUP steak with fried eggs. bread,
I,-
splendid appetite and iron constitution.
which makes it possible for him TO
work eighteen hours every day. Gen
ernl Maud huy looks anything but
robust. He has the long. narrow head
o! the people OF Brittany, his cheeks
arc pale and rather thin. his express
sion full OF i!fe, but rather nervous
His eyes. however, are so strongly
vir!le. so full OF will power and energy.
that the whole soul of the man appears
concentrated in them.
~ bid you n cordial welcome. gem
,leynen,' the general said. We shall
show you everything. for we have
nothing TO conceal. All ask you is
10 he careful of yourselves and. II you
do not care TO be so for your own sake
when you get into the trenches, then
please be so for the sake of my men,
for l need them all. hope you Will
have nothing TO fear. hut I warn you
when you get TO Arras this afternoon
not TO gather in groups in front Of
the depot for this place can he plainly
seen and shellcd from the German rosi-
tons
From headquarters we drove to the
forest of Bouvigny, so often mentioned
in the communicates. which is situated
near the main road between Bethune
and Arras From the heights here Won
had n splendid view of the battle fields.
In clear weather you may see Lille
and you suspect the location of Ypres
and all the famous old Flemish indus
trial towns now in German possession.
II is the immense battle field. the CEN
ter of which s Lens and which
stretches from La Bassee TO Arras
Not far from us we see the column
erected in memory of the victory Of
Conde on August 10. 1913 For CEN
turies bars.ea have beer fought on this
plateau. which has been drenched with
human blood.
MILES OF FERTILE PLAIN
FURRoWED WITH TRENCHES
Though the firing lines was quite
close, and we lookca miles across
the fertile plaihS furrowed with
trenches, everything seemed quite
peaceful. Blue smoke was curling sky
ward from a group of small cottages,
and the silence was broken only hy
the booming Of heavy guns. which was
repeated hundred times by the echo
until 1t sounded like distant thunder.
You quickly learn to distinguish
the French guns, especially the sharp
and high tone of the famous 75s
from the deep growing of the Ger
man guns. The shots are fired regu-
larly as If timed by watch.
above our heads hung two captive
balloons like an enormous pair Of
yellow sausages. Underneath each was
n small basket. In one sat n French
and in the other German officer OF
artillery. Their task is to locate the
eremy's heavy guns and notify the