Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-28
FRANCE STILL HAS
HER BEST TRUMPS
Recent Offensive Very Far From
Being Joffre's Best
Card
WILL NOT BE IMPRUDENT
Reserves Will Be Thrown In
Only When Time for Vic
tory Arrives.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.l
PARIS. November 27.-Thc new Min
lister Of War, General Gallieni. has
made the following statement to y
correspondent, on the present military
situation:
without betraying any military Sc
cret. | may say that our recent often
sivc was very, very far from being
our last card. We still haze all our
best trumps on hand. though we have
no intention Of playing any OF them
] yet.
When General Joffre began an Of
fensive which could not possibly be
decisive at n time when Russia had
barely begun TO organize her new
armies OF millions, and when England
was very far from having reached the
maximum OF her military strength. H.
was simply because we could we'll az
| ford the sacrifices we made. These
were more than justified by the results
| achieved
! France will never commit the i'm
prudence OF risking her last reserves
until the moment comes when a de-
cisivc victory appears to be absolutely
certain as far as the outcome Of any
! battle may ever be looked upon as
| certain beforehand
BARRACKS AND MILITARY
| DE:POTS ARE FILLED
| throughout France our barracks
and military depots are full New
regiments are being formed and in
several places we have entire, fully
| trained divisions ready who .re eager
! ly awaiting the moment when thew
are 10 be sent to the front. can say
no more than this at the present.,
The general impression here is that
the lack OF hrst-class troops Is be-
ginning to be felt in Germany. and
particularly in Saxony and Bavaria.
In French military circles the fact
! is we'll known that Germany srill has
| reserves OF approximately 100000
men, but it is equally we'll Nnown that
none of these troops can possibly BIO
called first class. and that behind them
there Is an absolute void. Mex. spring
Germany will have no more fresh SOL
! dicrs at her disposal.
| The new German uniforms though
, they have fulfilled the demand OF an
proNimate invisibillty. have proved
very disappointing In wearing quail
| ties. They have worn very badly. and
anybody who has ever seen German
prisoners passing through Paris knows
! that the Kaiser's troops are anything
! but well dressed not even those OF
| elite corps like the Prussan Guards.
/ one OF the minor. but ut tho same
time very important, problems which
! faces Germany is. therefore, how to
provide within very short tima
100000 new uniforms. If she fails, IL
means that her soldiers will shiver with
cold all winter in their present ragged
uniforms. And Germany is short OF
wool as we'll as OF cotton
I Nor Is this ALL apparently. a recent
telegram from Copenhagen tells OF an
accident In which Il German rcservist
/ was shot by n comradc who was not
! familiar with the mechanism OF tho
| Russian rifle with which he was armed
MAY RING DEATH KNELL
OF OFFICIAL RED TAPE,
! II the present war does not ring tho
death kncll OF official red tape In France
we shall evidently never get rid OF
this plague. which every commandin,,
officer in the field is daily cursing 1t
/ is an absolute fact that II soldier at
the front is In need of pair OF new
boots. no less than eighteen different
! transactions have to be gone through
before he gets thcm-if he gets them
at all.
The following little story told me by
( colonel back in Paris on a short leave
2
cultics facing an officer who wants to
look after the welfare OF his men in
the trenches.
The colonel In command OF a regi-
ment or infantry lighting in Artois.
recently asked for supply OF new
trousers for his men. He was informed
that no new trousers could possibly ba
issued until the worn-out garments had
/ been sent to the "intcndant' and pro-
/ nounccd unfit for further use.
| The colonel, now furious answered by
return post:
| owing to the fact that our troops
on active service have only mo pair OF
| trousers. which they are in the habit of
/ wearing. as we'll as 10 the imposslbility
| OF letting them walk about in their
| shirt tails while the intendant is ey
aiming their WORKOUT garments.
! must insist OH the intendants coming
here in person 10 examine the trousers
/ on the spot. My regiment occupies
/ trenches No - and -, and I should
appreciate il il you will kindly inform
me beforehand OF the day and hour OF
| your arrival
! II should advise YOU TO choose your
! time we'll. as the trenches are being
violently bombarded most OF the time.
/ The trousers are needed immediately"
The "intcndant" sent an answer 10
the effect that as IL was not necessary
/ that he should see ali the worn-ot,
| garments, he would examine only those
OF the men on reserve duty in the
second line of trenches.
y few days later he actually did ar
rive. but unfoi tunately the Germans
chose that day to prepare a new attack,
! and the quarters OF the reserves, four
! kilometers behind the first-line trenches,
where the "intendant" stopped his car.
were made the target for n hail OF large
/ shells.
! The "intendant' Immediately jumped
Into his car and sped back towsrds
Paris. Since then lie has given up OK
aiming garments at the front. but is
satisfied TO take the commanding oirl-
GERS word that new ones are needed