El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-01
Gen, J0FFRE IS
ALWAYS WORKING
Works Hard II Hours a
Day and Shows No Sign
of Fatigue.

months of responsibility by Gen. Joffre
in the conduct Of the greatest war in
history, during which time he has beer
on duty an average of Il hours dsv
and has Travelled more than 10000 miles
in a motor car. do not seem to have
aged this veteran soldier a bit: there
is not the slightest betrayal OF fatigue
in his countenance. his step or in his
mind. he is quite as ready for anv de-
velopment today as at any time since
the war began, and his decisions arc
as prompt and clearly thought out as
on the historical August &c. 1918. when
he issued to the French armies the
general instructions for the battle OF
the Marine
starts Work at > O'clock.
Il is in q quiet villa surrounded BY
a pretty garden and in a spacious room
on the ground floor with a billiard
table covered with maps in the center
and maps on all the walls that the
generalinchief begins to receive re-
ports from his staff officers between
five and six o'clock in the morning.
Visits the Trenches.
After about three hours consecrated
TO reports and the necessary orders 10
provide for the eventualities 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 Of the armies
at the front It is generally about half
past nine Three powerful motor cars
are always waiting at that hour in
front Of the villa. As the general passes
out OF the door. an officer pushes into
his hand a small paper that he sticks
into the pocket Of his jacket. II is
the time table and the itinerary OF the
DAYS Journey. arranged and approved
by him the evening before and from
which no divergence is permitted.
Nothing in the construction Of the
trenches escapes Joffres II there is any
Thing wrong anywhere, the officers and
soldiers say. il is that very thing that
the generals eyes viii light upon He
prefers to be unnoticed in these sort OF
business trips TO the front. insisting
that they in no way partake OF the
form and ceremony that attaches to re-
views, but. instinctively. when the old
grandfather passes. the sentinels and
soldiers present arms. reddening with
pleasurable emotion because of this op-
portunity 10 honor the general in chief
Always Demands Improvement.
None Of the army commanders have
vet been able 10 satisfy JOffre on two
points-the shelters for the men along
the first line are never deep enough.
and the barbed wire entanglements that
protect the first line are never dense
enough.
IT'S very well. it's very we'll" says
he generally to the colonel. shaking his
hand. but you must put up a little
you more. and when you have a few
men available just deepen these shell
tiers a bit toe"
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 reepened. he
notices it and makes the colonel no
tice it.
Returns to Headquarters.
The tour of inspection is generally
noon Then back at headquarters
comes the most annoying part OF his
days work-questiOns OF displacement
promotion. retirement, recompenses OF
officers, and citations of soldiers, be-
sides a thousand and one questions re-
latinE to arms. material. ammunition
supplies. and the sanitary department.
The reserve supplies of shells for can
non of different caliber is a matter OF
such mOmentOus Importance in this war
that Joff-e leaves these details 10 no
one else: he keeps the figures in his
head and he. any day, can give the eX-
act reserve stock Of ammunition in
hand He knows also the exact 1lE-
ures representing the daily output OF
the ammunition factories. He person
ally attends TO all trials Of new engines
Of destruction or protection
The general in chief is not partial 10
the visits of civilians in war time. He
has resisted with admirable consistency
the constant pressure Of thousands OF
influential civilians who have no busi-
ness at the front. but nevertheless de-
sire ardently TO see it Besides the
hundreds OF war correspondents. the
supervising committees Of the cham
Der Of deputies. hundreds Of other IN
fluential politicians, ministers and
other governmental officers. there are
the visiting notabilities from the allied
who never fail 10 put IN an
application for q visit TO the front.
Receives Diplomats.
When the general lunches at the gen. /
sral headquarters, he manages to sat !
isfy some of these innumerable de- 4
nands by receiving French or foreign :
generals, other officers OF }
allied armies or nOtabilities at his Ia I
bic. The dinner is generally a good one. 4
because Joffre eats with an excellent ]
appetite, although he drinks little and
smokes not at all
Finishes Work Late.
The general in chief returns to his
work at half past eight in the evening
% receive the reports Of the day that
nave arrived in his absence. and 10 ap-
prove the communique to the press.
which is never transmitted TO Paris
without receiving his appreciation. The
ordnance officers bring in the last tel
grams and receive their orders for the
morrow. At 10 o'clock, after the mem
lers of his staff have all retired ths (
general finally, entirely alone in his
vorlrOom, finishes his days task.