New Britain herald., 1916-06-21


 discussion of what is called the TT. 1 o. E." standing for "Theater Opera l tions Exterior
 l After about three hours conseefat- ed to reports and the necessary or 1 ders to provide for the eventualities 1 of the day Joffre rises from his desk and puts on his cap, which is the signal for the departure from the general headquarters to some one ot 1 the armies at the front. It IS gen era1ly about half past nine. Three | powerful motor cars are always walt 1 ing at that hour in front of the villa l As the general passes out of the door, | an officer pushes into his hand small 1 paper that he sticks into the pocket 1 of his jacket. It is the time table and i the itinerary of the days journey ar ranged and approved by him the 1 evening before and from which no di- vergence is permitted.
 Automobile His Couch. ] The general-in- chief and an ord- nance officer get into the first car, while a second officer follows in what is called the relief car'' the third one being reserved for two secretaries who
 
 the armies. These same cars have carried the general and his suite since the beginning of the war nearly every mile of the ground from the sea TO the Vosges. The hours he spends speeding over the country are hours of comparative rest for him. He inn proves the occasion to read in more detail long reports that have not re- quired immediate attention but which he wants to know from beginning to end, but most of the route is spent in rest, the general being an adept in 1 the art of catching snatehes of sleep l en route. He is credited with the power of sleeping when he wants to ' and of awakening at will.
 The generals car is known to everyone in the army by the tri-cel- ored fanion with gold fringed eravat | that it carries. He always arrives without ceremony and proceeds ina l mediately and simply to the business in hand, whether it be a discussion of ! important projected operations with l the commander of an army, or wheth- CT it be his simple lunch, which he | often takes seated on the ground at | llle sue Ol d TOau, a1tQ WHICH He dlSr | patches with good appetite. Ere quently, instead of leaving the ear to visit the headquarters of an army, he takes the general in command into the car with him and discusses matters en route, thus saving time and keeping to the time table prepared for his round. The discussion goes on while ] the general-in-ehief and the general in command of an army are making | their way to the communicating trench through which they will pro- ceed to the first line trenches.
 Nothing in the construction of these trenches escapes Joffre; if there is anything wrong anywhere, the of | feers and soldiers say, it is that very thing that the generals eye will light | upon. He prefers to be unnotieed in | these sort of business trips to the front, insisting that they in no way partake of the form and ceremony that attaches to reviews, but, instinc- lively, when the old "grandfather'' passes, the sentinels and soldiers pre- sent arms, reddening with pleasurable emotion because of this opportunity 1 to honor the general-in-c chief.
 None of the army commanders have yet been able to satisfy Joffre on two 1 points-the shelters for the men along l the first line are never deep enough, 1 and the barbed wire entanglements that protect the first line are never dense enough.
 Its very well, it's very we'll" says 1 he generally to the colonel, shaking
 his hand, "but you must put up It. l tie more barbed wire. am going to l send you more, and when you have a
 few men available just deepen these shelters 8 bit, too.''
 He never forgets such things; the
 barbed wire Is always forthcoming,
 and if he passes that way again and
 finds the shelters have not been deep
 ened he notices 1t and makes the col
 enel notice 1t.
 Soldiers Comfort First Aim.
 The numerous reviews that Joffrc
 has had occasion to pass are not en- tirely matters of show and parade. He
 first visits the installation of one o1
 the battalions and inspeets the kitch.
 ems, the laundry and the organization ] of the baths. After he has assured
 himself that the material wants of the
 soldiers are cared for he passes aione
 the line to salute the regim enta1 flag
 Of all the generals who have con
 ferred decorations during the war
 none, it is said, do it with such req
 feeling as Joffre. When he gives tn
 "accolade" after pinning the eros