Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-01-07
Pen Picture Of Industry Around
Popular French Commander.
WORKS FAR FROM TRENCHES
About Him Gravitate 200 Officers As
sisted by Others-All Labor Day and
Night, With Little Rest-ldleness Is
Never Displayed Among the Machine
like Clerical Force.

Paris.-"War in its grim reality has
upset all the ideas which we had of
it's aspect" says Frantz- Reichel. who
in the Figaro gives Il pen picture of
General Joffre and his staff ut work
at the headquarters of the French
army. lie G. O. c." Authorization for
grand quarter general" is what the
headquarters of the generalissimo is
called.
For each army the headquarters is
anywhere from seven to twelve kilo-
meters behind the firing line, while
for the entire field army the great
headquarters is from 50 to 100 kilo
meters away. Great headquarters is
the mysterious confer from which
comes nothing but what is duly au
thoriZed. To go there. to see those
who. grouped about the chief, are as
ISOLATED, however little, in the work
of the brain that thinks for all; to APP
proach that corner of France where
are brought by telegraph or telephone
the results of every hour, from where
leave the orders which inspire the
movements of that immense and many
jointed body. the army, is the dream
of all, the privilege of few.
But the great headquarters where
the generalissimo works-the man who
assumes the superb but crushing re-
sp0nsibility of the life of Francis
far different from what one would
imagine it. When one has viewed it,
with all it's installations, the impress
sion that one gets is of a gigantic
mandatory where in offices filled
with work everybody tolls with order
and method at the accomplishment of
tasks we'll understood.
"The great headquarters of the
French army was in a little town at Il
goodly distance from the trenches.
shifting whenever the occasion requir
ed it.
1.-THE town it occupied presented no
uncommon sight-a commercial town.
with humdrum streets, which were in
times of peace animated by it's popu-
lation concerned in two industries, the
repairs of material of the Eastern rail
road and the manufacture Of wooden
goods
"About General Joffre gravitate 200
officers. assisted by an army of secre-
taries. These men collaborate at three
services-that of the general staff prop
erly. the service of the rear and the
service of the railroads.&c. placed I'M
der the orders of three officers who
are the immediate associates of the
generalissimo The three services are
installed in three school buildings. Day
and night the staff is at work attend
ing to the thousand and one exigencies
of the front, where 100000 men are
deployed along a stretch of 500 kilo-
meters.
'In these offices, from which are sent
out the orders commanding the thun-
der of the guns, the rattle of small
arms. the pandemonium Of regiments
hurled forward in clamoring assault,
there is silence absolute, impressive.
They are working without noise, with
out respite. The only sounds are the
gathering of typewriters and the ring
ing of telephone bells. One has the
sensation of passing through the offices
of great industry, where every one.
animated by duty and held by strong
discipline. works faithfully at his ap-
pointed task. Heads are not lifted as
one passes. Such order. such applica-
ton gives one feeling not Of hope.
but of confidence that the fluctuations
of the battlefield cannot shake. The
faces reflect confidence and faith.
"All this is the work Of General Jof-
fire uncomfortable administrators. emf
nent strategist. admirable chief. who
by his own example and the influence
he yields has brought all his subordi-
mates into the path Of duty well done.
IAN interchangeable worker. his great
headquarters is run like piece OF
we'll oiled machinery. The generals
simo himself follows strict routine
He rises at 3 o'clock and has light
breakfast of coffee and rolls: then he
visits the three service chiefs. works
with them. hearing or reading reports.
sanctioning solutions adopted: after
that, before luncheon. he takes walk
on foot. during which he works ont in
his brain plans for the action Of the
allied armies The walk over. the gem
eraIissimo returns to his house. where
he has luncheon.
every three or four days the gener-
alissimo goes on a tour of inspection I'm
his automobile. He visits each OF his
armies in turn. confers with their
chiefs. chats with the soldiers. His
chauffeurs are two OF. the most famous
racers in France. Boillot and Rigal.
General Joffre likes to take maps while
his automobile is flying along. He says
it induces most restful sleep.
.Plain and good. just in rewards as
in punishment. he is respected. esteem
ed. adored by ALL Obeying nothing
but military necessities. he chooses bis
men. leaving to each one his initiative.
Insensible to eulogy. Indifferent to crit
icism. general Of duty. he has con-
quered the admiration of the entire