Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-16
GERMANY CRUNIBLTNG,
DECLARES JOFFRE IN
HINTS OF NEW BLOW
GAIL Their Famous Old
Guard Gone" Says
French Commander-in-
Chief, and 100000 Have
Been Lost in Battle.

PARIS, Feb. 16.-Germany is crumbling,
says General Joffre, head of all the
French armies in France. in an interview
with Paul Huard, lifelong friend. In
telling of his interview Huard says:
"'You ought really to give me some ex-
planation of Charleroi,' l said to him.
THE general was neither astonished
nor offended by my question.
81 asked him l. it was really true, as
the general public and even the COM
batants believed, that We were outianked
in Belgium by overwhelming masses.
"'Not at all, not at ALL, replied GEN
eral Joffre; our army was in sufficient
numbers. We ought to have won the bat
tie of Charleroi We had 10 chances to l
TO win IT. We lost 1t through our own
faults, by mistakes of our commanders
"Long before the war broke out 1 was
aware a great number of our generals
were worn out. Observing those deficien-
cies, I had set about remedyIng them.
Some of these generals were my best
comrades, but, while love my friends /
love France still more. I, therefore, re-
lieved them of their commands. I re-
moved them as 1 expect to be removed
myself II l am found deficient. Not, in
the public welfare. l did this with an
guish in my soul, and when left in soli-
tude I wept
Turning the general from his melan-
choly memories, said to him: Now,
explain to me your retreat, especially by
what surprising miracle or what singular
caprice General Won Kluk obliQued so
suddenly when Paris was already within
his reach?'
The retreat was very simple replied
Joffre, now smiling again. With numer-
GUS details he explained to me how Won
Kluk's men. casting aside their haVer-
sacks, swept like a whrwind on Paris.
He explained how, during the 10 days
the English-French retreat lasted, he,
Joffre, built up in the region of Amiens,
that is on flank OF the line OF invasion,
an army whose existence was unknown
to all, and especially to the Germans,
until the day when, concentrated and
moving on 10 the command OF the French
generalisslmo. this army of General
AIaunoury gave such a sudden and vio-
lent elbow blow to the Teutons that he
threw them, as planned, on to our lines
on the Marne.
AT present" resumed Huard. "it is
truly regrettable that such decisive man
euvers as the Marne AFFAIR are no longer
possible, and bending over General Jof-
fire." says Huard. II whispered In his ear
I hope you have something up your
sleeve
'Joffre laughed gaily. Surely, surely
he replied, tapping my shoulder. but we
are really still maneuvring. Napoleon
said he won battles with his soldiers
legs. We win them with our locomotives.
That's all the difference. We mustn't
abuse this war OF attrition too much.
Under the fire of our army the Ger
mans have left more than 100000 men
yes. more than 1,OOO.0o0-who will never
reappear on any battlefield.
. Their famous guard is only eollee-
tion Of uniforms; their old officers lists
are only a historic memory. Their oGi-
GERS were gallant: they have nearly all
fallen. The German troops are now so
much weakened morally that there Inn
provised officers the impelled In order 20
avoid stampede, TO lead them 10 battle In
mass formation, eight men abreast. II is
leading them 10 a hscatomb, a prey for
our artillery