The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-11
GENERAL FRENCH
 IN UNANN0UNCED CALL ON TROOPS
Commander Chief Often Drops Tn" To See How
 The Battle Goes.

British Headquarters. France, Sept. 1.-The only man of the nundreds of thousands at the British front who wears the crossed batons of a Field Marshal on his shoulders ap- peared in opening in the shrub bery which bordered the field where a machtne-gun battery of the new army was waiting for orders to move. None of the men in the battery had any idea that he was coming. They were lounging and chatting as they waited. In a glance every one identified that sturdy figure with it's square chin and the white dropping mouStache with the pictures which they had seen in the papers. There was no need for a call to attention. The effect was like an electric shock which sent every man to hs place and mac de his backbone a steel rod. Does Sir John French often slip up on you that way?" gasped one of the battery lieuteants who was all 08 nineteen years of age. Nineteen 4s the limit of youth for officers in the new army; and there are, scores no older. From the one chocolate drop on that boy 1ieutenantss sleeve to the crossed batons represented dizzy al- titude.
 The battery had just come out from England It took the Command der-in- chief about five minutes to form his Judgment of the results of their nine months' preparatory drill. He asked few questions as he looked over each gun and it's crew.
 Very good,'' he said. and return ed to his car. which was to take him on to inspect some other formation.
 Any idea that the Commander-in-1 chief spends all his time over a map with a telephone at his elbow as the staff officer explained, 'is quite CT roneous. He is always on the go.''
 The automobile enables him to get over lot of ground in a day. Some times the inspections are quite formal. Different battalions of a brigade drawn up in fields await his coming. commanding officers know of his ap- proach when they see the flag of his car flutterfng along /the road. On these occasions he usually makes a little speech Once when, platform had been arranged for him to ad-1 went closer to the men standing in the field with their rigid columns around him. After that platforms went out of fashion.
 "One might think that he could learn very little by a brief inspec- ton or watching troops march past on pArade,'' said the staff officer, ''but a soldiers eye takes in more than a civilian can guess. He not only sees that uniform and equip ment are in good condition but he is able to judge both the spirit and the physical condition of the men. If they have been having a hard time of it in the trenches he Gan tell how much fight is left in them. He may judge the character of the reserves And the men see him. He is no long CT a distant figure. They feel the effect of his personality"
 The new army contingents as they arrive receive particular attention.
 Every general in the sarnay seems fr Han Iyiy lii G %r1r-x at ir {iv1er us," said one of the New Army offfc- CTS We had plenty of inspections at home. We came out here to fight" / When this was repeated to a staff officer who belongs to .'G-H-Q''. as they call General Headquarters, he said: They need not worry about that. They will be getting fighting enough when the time comes. But they have the right spirit. All the armies in this war have found that trenches know from experience how to hold the trenches. They can dig and they can stick no matter how heavy the shell fire. But fresh troops when properly drilled are the best for the offensive. England has a far larger army which has never heard the crack of a bullet than has ever been under fire. The New Army men learned @ good deal in England, they are to be taught more at the front"
 A battalion of New Army men drawn upon the pavement of a French village in front of their bill lets with their transport and their packs on their backs waiting for a general to inspect them is common sight. The subordinate inspectors have more time to spare for the task than the. comnander-fn-c thief. Down the front of the line of each company and then along the rear they move slowly as they take in every detail.
 They say that when an army of millions has to be made by a Eoun- try that had only small regular army to start with and there is a years experience of warfare, revolu- tionary in it's methods, to inculcate along with the old principles. too much pains can not, be taken in any direction. New Army mem may be digging reserve trenches or at morn ing muster and an automobile stops and here is another officer with a red cap which shows that he. belongs to the staff or another general to in spect them. Everybody at the Brit ish front not in the trenches seems either occupied in making inspec- tions or looking out for an inspec- ton.
 of it isn't somebody bent on in- spe9fion,' said one of the New Army men, 'it is some Army Medical Corps sharp engaged in disinfection."