The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-26
J0FFRE,
IDOL Of FRANCE

| lUUl Ut ftANdt
One of the best pictures that has
| been presented in American news
papers of General Joffre is that of
| Wythe Williams, one of the European
correspondents of the New York
Times. He has met the French Gen
eralissmo several times, and has talk
| ed with him He has been conducted
over large portions of the French
front by members of Joffre's staff, and
he has heard the opinions OF generals
| and privates about the man who has
such hold upon the affection and
| Imagination of both French people
and army as no leader has had since
Napoleon. Is Joffre Napoleon is
/, question that is frequently asked II
Is some Improvement on the other
speculation. VIII the war develop
Napoleon? For ii seems to mean that
If there is u Napoleon yet developed
In this war or in process OF develop
ment II is General Joffre.
Modern Military Problems.
! The question is not very sensible
F, one anyway. Joffre may not be
+ Napoleon. Nor was Napoleon
4 Marlborough. nor Hannibal an Alex
auder, though all We're great military
! gertuses. Bur If there should bo an
other great war in, say, httr years.
( the world may be asking VIII thus
struggle produce another Joffre2 The
poInt Is that While every great general
must study the campaigns OF famous
generals Of the past HIS understand
f Ing of them viii be useless unless ne
i ear. contribute the necessary spark of
his own geniuss without this his
knowledge will he like an electric
plant minus the current. Napoleon
great maxim was to beat large army
Icy subdividtng IL and destroying 1t IN
sections. lie depended tremendously
upon the element of the unexpected
/ In this war The unexpected cannot Of
ten happen. The aeroplane. the tele-
phone wireless. and the huge num-
hars Of men employed make ii i'm
possible. So Ioffre cannot adopt the
chief NapUleonic principles, though
he may adapt some Of them. He has
Invented a principle NJ his own: Il
AM ni0hling Al them. said Jofre. Mr..
Wliiams xavS thar without huge maps
ii is impossible 10 understand the
steady success of the French nibhling
/ 4 mile taken here, aud a couple Of
mi * there are healthy bites at the
German front
Father JofTre aud His Children
The writer in the Times describes
a review OF rIIREn fhHNSdhu IffSH
troops by General Jofrre som ewhere
portrait Of the great general lie
SAWS in part
a man detaefes himself from the
4 line OF trees behind the group and
/ comes piowiug his way across the
mud. He is large and bulky. He
plants his feet firmly at each step.
splashine the mud out I'm all direc
! 10. e.FY lac
horizon blue ard no overcoat. He
wears the old red trousers 81 the
beginning of the war. His hat,
around which you can see the golden
haad OF oak leaves sisnifying that he
is a general. is pulled low over his
eyts. Drops OF rain are on his griz-
zled moustache A leather belt -
no sword.
\ Big. Powerful Man.
'Langle de Cary and his officers
whri about quickly AZ his approach
Every hand is raised in salute. The
bulky man touches the visor Of his
cap in response. then plants both his
larre ungloved fists upon his hips. Ills
fec. are spread slightly apart Ho
speaks to de Cary in a low voice. As
you have already guessed. this hig
man is Joffre: You we're told at the
beg ginning Of the war that joffre was
a little fat man---likc Napoleon. That
il rot true Joffre is big man He
is even a tall man, but does not give
such an impression because Of his
bulk. Few men possess al his age
such a powerful or SO healthy a body,
That is why h. can cover so many
miles Of battle front In his racing
auto every day, That is why he shows
not the slightest sign OF the wear and
tear of war There was no time lost
in conversation before the hugles blew
again, and the regiments of heroes
began their march past the muddy re-
viewing stand Even in their battle
stained uniforms every regiment look
ed smart When they came abreast
of loire. stolidiy and solidly standing
a step In advance OF the others the
long line of rifles raised in salute was
as straight as ever tina, of a German
re@iment on parade at Postdam.
The y. c. of France.
Through IL all he stood almost mo-
ionless. with feet spread apart, one
hand planted on his hip, raising the
other in the visor Of his hat under
which he peered straight ahead with
untlinking eyes As the men passed
thus general without a sword, with no
medals, no gold braid. no oyercoat
anc in old red trousers the rain peit.
ing upon him, the look on their faces
was one OF alteration. 1t mattered
nos to them that there were no cheer
in- crowds, no crashing bands, no
gasa atmosphere, The one eve in
France that they cared about was up
on them II Was enough The
private now 10 receive the medal was
) Drought before the commander
chief, who pinned it upon his breast
Then came the only sign of emotion
he exhibited through the entire pro-
ceeilngs, He threw both his great
arms about the private's shoulders
and kissed him on both cheeks The
lo,g line of soldiers remained per