Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-06-11

feeling AN Joffre. When he gives the
''accolade" after pinning the cross up
on the brave soldiers breast, whether
IL be the simplest trooper, the black
est Senegalese rifleman. or an officer,
he kisses him heartily on both cheeks
never being satisfied with semblance
Of an embrace, as are some other gem
erals.
After comforting with the general of
an army, visiting the quarters OF the
troops or passing regiment IN re-
view, Joffre always cOnsults his ilttle
paper, the itinerary Of his round, ana
this is about the only thing that DIS
turbs The equanimity of his temper.
I'VE are soing TO be at least twenty
minutes late he often says, impa-
tently and this means That the man
at the wheel must make UP that time
in order to get back into the general $
good graces, he never goes too fast
TO suit his illustrious passenger
Dispcnses Justice. X
The tour of inspection is generally
finished about s o'clock in the after
noon. Then back at headquarters
comes the most annoying part of his
days work-questions of displaee-
ment promotion, retirement. recon-
penses Of officers and citations of
soldiers, besides a thousand and-one
questions relating to arms. material,
ammunition supplies, and the sanitary
department. The reserve supplies OF
shells for cannon Of different calibre
Is a matter of such momentous i'm
portance In this war that Joffre leaves
these details TO no one else; he keeps
the figures In his head, and he, any
day, can give the exact reserve stock
Of ammunition in hand lie knows
also the exact figures representing the
daily output of the ammunition fac
tories. He personally attends to all
trials Of new engines of destruction
or protection.
After the audiences relating to
these questions. the general receives
the director of what Is called the
services Of the rear TO discuss trans
portation and plans for the repair or
construction Of railroads; still more
designs, more figures, all of which are
organized, co-ordinated and filed in
the prodigious memory Of the general
in chief 10 accurately as 10 require
no memorandum
Regarded as Safety-YaIve.
General Joffre has been described =,
by some Of his generals as the safety
valve OF the army. While he is the |
directing intelligence Of the great ma |
chine, he is at the same time the re-
lief for Overcharged minds of subor- |
dinates who, under certain contingent I
cies may be oyer-affected by matters /
Of secondary importance. Surprised |
by some unlooked-for development /
ana impressed by complication that |
seems TO them decisive and perhaps l
simple observation I
from ]offre often reduces the exag-
gorated incident to its proper proper 4
tons and cools the blood of his sub /
ordinates
The general in chief Is not partial /
TO the visits of civilians In wartime. H
tie has resisted with admirable con- 4
the constant pressure of thou
sands of influential civilians who hav. 1
no business at the front, but neverthe-
Jess desire ardently to see IT, Be
sides the hundreds Of war corresponds 4
ents, the supervising committees Of |,
the chamber of deputies, hundreds OF i
other influential politicians ministers, i
and other governmental officers, there
are the visiting notabilities from the
allied countries who never fail to put Il
IN an application for a visit to the \
front
Relaxation at Table.
When the general lunches at the
General headquarters ne manages to
satisfy some of these innumerable de-
mands by receiving French or foreign |
generals, other officers of
allied armies, or notabilties, at his Ia Il
Die. The dinner is generally good
one, because Joftre eats with an excel
lent appetite, although he drinks lit
Lle and smokes not at an. It is one |
81 the hours of the day which he |
looks forward to, because questions
relating to the service are vigorously
barred from the conversation and
saiety Is the rule. After dinner the
general turns over rapidly the leaves
Of the latest Illustrated papers and
of the multiplicity of pho
.ographs representing him in all sorts
u positions and poses that he rarely
'inds to his taste.
The general in-chief returns to his
Aork at half-past eight In the even
ng to receive the reports OF the day
nat have arrived In his absence and l.
% approve the communique 10 the
)ress which IS never transmitted to
Paris without having received his ap-
probation. The ordnance officers
)ring in the last kilograms and re-
'eive their orders for the morrow.
1t 10 o'clock. after ahe members Of !
lis staff have all retired, the general
inally entirely alone in his work
DOM, finishes his days task.
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