Evening star., 1915-01-29

popular measure from u politician $
Standpoint-ttnd that saved France. He
insisted that the appropriation for the
flying corps be increased-out OF al
reason. as the opponents insisted.
Essence of War Is Speed.
1--WE will have no time in which to
build machines and train men when
the war starts,' he said in 1912. THE
essence of success in modern war is
speed
Every French general has made a
study of the disastrous campaign OF
1870. For forty years the general
staff has been al work preparing to
meet the Germans in the next war.
Joffre has always insisted that to be
successful an army must remain upon
the offensive But he-a]one of French
generals-seems to have seen that IN
the first days of the war the French
morally. to assume the OFFENSIVE
against the powerful German machine.
So that when the war began he re
treated. He fought every foot, but he
writhed in humiliation when he let it
be known that he was prepared to sac
rif1ce Paris.
Paris is to me only a fortified town
he said. ut must defend 1.self. 1t
must play its part in the line
He Saved France.
Now it is realized that no other pol
icy could have saved France. If he
had made a determined stand at the
beginning, students of military STRAIT
egy believe the Germans would have
smashed through the French line. But
ing. The temperament of the French
soldier leads him to forever attack
Because he was forced to remain on
the defensive at the outset he was
disgruntled and sullen. Often he re-
treated when he had no business to
retreat. Friction arose between the
French and their English allies. The
men of the two armies could not meet
without fighting. Neither comprehend
ed the mastery strategy of Joffre.
When they did understand, the whole
situation changed. The French soldier
fights on the defensive now almost as
well as Mr.. Atkins himself. That is
the highest possible praise. He is still
the Englishman's superior when he
takes the offensive.
Joffre's Home Life
When Joffre is In his home he is the
mildest, most kindly, most courteous
old man you almost ever saw. He isn't
talkative--it is not humanity possible
for any man to say less than Gen.
Joffre or to get more directly to the
target with what he does say-but he
is friendly. His blue eyes gleam from
beneath the great, overhanging white
eyebrows. He detests all social func-
itions, but the few who have friendly
access to his home report that he lives
the life of a prosperous bourgeois. He
rises at O'Clock in the morning and
is to ride his horse and to potter about
his garden. Now and then he plays
| bridge-as concession to bridge
playing friends. He prefers to listen
to his wife read or one of his two step
daughters play the piano.
He isn't that sort of a man at all
when he is in uniform.
Passion for Efficiency.
Then he has Il passion for efficiency.
He is a kind-hearted man, but he does
not permit his kindness of heart to
sway him. The officer who is not up
to the rigid standard be insists upon is
dropped. When he was serving in
Madagascar he once asked an officer
when a given task could be completed.
The other fellow didn't quite know. 1t
was not matter of Importance.
Two weeks, possibly, said he. May
be three weeks"
See that it is done within five days.
said Joffre, "or go back to France"
Since the war began he has retired
approximately thirty generals. The
precise number is not known, because
the French war office is not at all
louuacious. 1t is assumed that they
fell short somewhere. In one instance
it is known that one of Joffre's per-
Sona1 friends resented the promotion
of d rival over his head. When that
rival issued an order the soured gen
eral obeyed, but he obeyed grudgingly.
Joffre dropped him without word.
Why" asked the Inundated officer.
| II obeyed the orders ] received
"You might have done better said
Joffrc. That WAS all.
Fat and Short.
Joifre is sixty-thrcc years Old lie
is rather short, is inclined toward fat,
although he has not Yet reached that
goal, and his hair and mustache are
very heavy and very white. He speaks
in ;, low. carefully modulated voice. He
abomiuates noise. lie walks in ii
heavy, lurching, ungraceful way. His
neace garb is IA high hat and short
coat but he has the Nlgor of Il wild
cat No matter what happens, he is
never tired. He fairly radlates con-
fGence and command
Roillet is still driving for him, un
less he has been killed since these
words were written. They leave head
n,,rters; at . o'clock in the morning,
inc through the countryside. Joftre
likes 10 see for himself what is gong
on, and III order that he may see as
much as possible Boillet drives at
| sixty miles an hour over roads that
wonId bog down a wheelbarrow. Two
snare cars with spare drivers follow
them. The Germans know the trio now
land shell it when they see 1t. Thus tar
| none of them has been hurt.
Joffre Visits in Trenches.
| Perhaps it is because GEM Joffre
wants to see his soldiers even more
| than he wants to see the fighting that
| he takes these trips. He likes to squat
! down by the side of a fire in one of the
ltrenches-this heavy. white haired,
slow-spoken old man-and talk to the
; boys who are fighting for France. He
wants to know what they are getting
; TO eat and if the supplies of ammun-
ttion came promptly, and if more blan-
kets re needed. Now and then Il private
soldier gets Il step in rank during those
! freside talks. The tradition that every
soldiers carries the baton of marshal