Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-03
JOFFRE, THE SILENT, ON WHOM
- ALL FRANCE RELIES -

While the limb was in splints young
Joffre acquired taste for study
went 30 the Lycee and chose the army
for his career.
Toward the end OF 1859, when he
was not yet II, he was fourteenth on
the list OF those admitted to the
EclOe Polytechnique. where the great
government engineers and army off
GERS of the artillery and engineering
corps are trained
Joffrc Becomes Dictator.
His whole military career was
passed I'm Notifications or on colonial
expeditions As young man he Ia o.
bored at the outWorks at Paris ami
Pantarlier Later he constructed the
fortresscs at Tonkng organized the
defense Of the Island OF Formosa
/ during the war In China. and built the
whole Of the huge stronghold
/ Of Diego Sumarc2, i'm the Island
/ Of Madagascar. Later stil he went
/ on the Dahomey expedition TO Africa.
| On his return finally to France, he
/ was professor at the Ecole de Guerre.
and filled other important positions,
I but II was not until 1905 that he OBJ
tained the epaulettes OF brigadier
general
Though he became later chief Of
the general staff. he was no more
communicative chief, while peace
reigned than the chief OF the general
staff in war lord" in Germany. The
supreme commander Of the Frech
army and navy is the president. whC
exercises that command, as far as the
army is concerned, through the min
ster of war. But Joffre soon became
dictator The war minister is said
10 have remarked that II he drove his
automobile into the war area without
General JOffre'S permission he would
be turned out
Makes Generals Resign.
Perhaps the first thing that made
France realize that she had found
dictator was the dismissal OF certain
generals, which followed last years
army maueuyers. In easy-going
times when general made mistakes
at maneuyers, it had been usual for
the criticisng authority to say, Il
may be wrong. but personally think
1t would have been better so and So
and to make mental notes not to EN-
plOy the said general after his time
was up.
General Joffre. however, called for
designations on the spot, Among th0
retiring officers were one or two men
OF great energy and devotion to duty
For them 1t was a hard blow. But
General Ioffre had been put in office
To make the French army as near
perfection as 1t could be brought, and
in this. as in other things, no cOnsid-
GRAFTON would make him swerye from
the line OF duty.
Rehearsal of Real Thing.
lie remembered, doubtless, that the
German Victories in 1866 and 1870
were the logical sequence Of their
peace maueuvers. He regarded man
euyers as a rehearsal Of the real thina
and the members of his company who
asa NOT know, tbeir parts he cast ont
There has been none Of the comfort
phle feeling that eft win he MI right
in the end" since General Joffre took
control Of the army.
This may seem loss than fair to his
uredcccssors vvho were strong hard |
yorkinp mon or the highest ability
and In fact created the army which
GnncrnI Ioffro has simnI, turned mn
Ana II may hurt them Ia think that I
the onportunitv OF handling that
ermv has come after their time
Noore made the army that Well |
Irgton .,yas to Iead. Carnot tho troops
NJ NaDoIeon Mcclellan the army
vim which Grant crushed the Con
fcdcracy So fate ordains. and will
ordain to the end of time
1t Is primarily as man or charac-
ter and action, toruned ny the 'hGorS
begun and pracused IN the new uo'
trihes or war tnat the lhle'iectual
leaders nave worked OUT thal JoItro
now stands at the heau ol INV
french army ..,. ,.