The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-04-14
HIDEBOUND ARMY RULES OF
PEACE TIMES PUSHED ASIDE
TO GET RESULTS.
GREAT MEN HAVE ARISEN
Private Inspired to Heroism BY Fact
That Leader Is Right Man In
Right Place

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good fortune of France during thi.
war to have produced, like the United
States during the Civil War, the great
men needed to insure her final vic.
tory. 1t will be one of the undying
honors of her present government
that from the very beginning, even
in obscurity, and has never feared to
cut asunder red tape or to push aside
all hidebound rules of military SEMI
GRITTY in order to promote men of
merit and ability.
Merit in an officer, as a matter of
fact, has been the only thing which
has counted for anything in this war.
Everywhere the right man has been
put in the right place, and 1t is this
fact which, more than anything else,
has inspired the French soldier to
the heroism he has shown.
An army like the French, in which
every single soldier has absolute con-
fidence in his leaders, which is being
supplied with everything it needs in
the most effective and systematic
manner, and which is besides, in
spired by the Hottest patriotism, is
invincible, and in the knowledge of
this lies the secret of the wonderful
confidence of the entire French peo-
pie.
The General who perhaps, after
Father Joffre," stands highest in
the opinion of his countrymen is Pc
tain, the defender of the Verdun. A |
high official in the War Department, |!
whose work has brought him in close
touch with Gen. Petain, gives the
following impression of him:
What strikes you the very minute
you meet Gen. Petain the first time
Is that he is young man in the
fullest sense of the word. His ap-
pearance bears testimony that he has
always kept his body in perfect train
ng with the care of professional
athlete. He is tall and straight and
his eyes as well as his every move
nent speak of an indomitable fund
If energy and quick resolve He
caches his every decision, even the
most important, inside a moment,
nd he has never failed to choose the
light one yet. He has all the quail
les that go to make up an ideal mill
airy leader. and, though a stern dis
iplinarian, he is adored by his Off
ers and men like.
Won Stars In Action.
"a colonel at the outbreak of the
ar, he was almost Immediately !,
ven the command of brigade, and =
is certainly not through office work ,
at he won the stars he now wears :,
his sleeves. In August, 1914, he
'rsonally led a charge at Dinant, :,
inning for ahead of his regiment :,
ID inspiring the men to the most >,
ckless bravery. =,
Promoted to be general of a
vision, we see him again on May 3,
Is, in command of the Thirty tr
lrd army corps, piercing the Ger at
IN lines. He did so personally, TAX q,
, his men into battle in less than FIR
hour, and he never received SO us
lch as a scratch, though he was tn
in the thickest of the fight an
IN his riding crop in one hand and bu
revolver in the other. After this oh
rious feat he was given command
the Second French army. E(
In September last year he added
v laureIs to his wreath of fame,
on the 25th of that month he re-
tied what he had done in Artois Oh
broke the German front on a an
, Is miles long, drove them back Ap
r miles and took $4,000 prisoners. Sa
After the offensive in Champagne sa!
4. Petain was asked by the COM Ro
to take charge of the ga
ming of the new troops which are of
take part in the coming great Of so,
sive of the allied forces in the I'm
It and he devoted all his energy to ito
; task until he was called to the far
I of honor at Verdun." cat
high army officer who is a close moi
sonal friend of Gen. Petain said but
me few days ago: of
Gen. Petain is one of the most pill
ck-witted and most level-headed pal
4 l ever met. Nothing ever dis pre-
BIS his calm and his decisions we
N to flash through his brain like for
ne Inspirations. He never hesi- Gus
IS, he is never in doubt, he is the
It resourceful man in our army. spe
I have right to say these things. In I
have known him since we were ing
d little boys. He has no connec- sol,
IS in the Chamber of Deputies and so
Is nothing for politics. He is SOL pal
through and through. He is file
Independent and perhaps is a pat
e too frank In his speech. He Col