The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-02

Its very we'll it's very we'll" says he generally to the colonel, shaking his hand, "but you must put up a lit tie more barbed wire. I am going to send you more, and when you have a few men available just deepen these shelters a 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 it and makes the col onel notice it.
 The numerous reviews that Joffre has had occasion to pass in 21 months of war are not entirely matters of show and parade. He first visits the installation of one of the battaho ons and inspects the kitchens, the Iaun- dry, and the organization of baths. After he has assured himself that the material wants of the soldiers are car ed for, he passes along the line to salute the reginenta1 flag,
 Of all the generals who have con- ferred decorations during the war, none it is said, do it with such real feeling as Joffre. When he gives the "acco1ade" after pinning the cross up on the brave soldiers breast, whether it be the simplest trooper, the black est Sen egalese rifleman or =n officer, he kisses him heartily on both cheeks, never being satisfied with a semb- lance of an embrace as are some other generals.
 After conferring with the general of an army, visiting the quarters of the troops or passing a regiment in review, Joffre always consu1ts his lit tie pa per, the itinerary of his round and this is about the only thing that distrubs the equanimity of his temper. f'We are going to be at least twenty minutes '1ate,'' he often says, impa- tently, and this means that the man at the wheel must make up that time o7Iz Inc era71 J9G good graces; he never goes too fast to suit his illustrious passenger.
 The tour of inspection is generally finished about 5 o'clock in the after moon. Then back at headquarters comes the most annoying part of his days work-questions of displace- ment, promotion, retirement, recon penses of officers, and citations of sol diers, besides housand-and-one questions relating to arms, material, ammunition supplies, and the sanitary department. The reserve supplies of shells for cannon of different calibre is matter of much momentous inn 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. He knows also the exact figures representing the daily output of ammunition factories. He personally attends to all trials of
 
 tion.
 After the audiences relating to theee questions, the general receives the di- rector of what is called the services of the rear'' to discuss transp orta ton | and plans for the repair or construc- ton of railroads; still more designs,
 more figures, all of which are organ ized, coordinated, and filed in the. pro-
 digious memory of the genera1-in-
 chief, so accurately as to require no
 memorandum
 .} General Joffre has been described
 by some of his generals as the safety
 valve of the army. While he is the l directing intelligence of the great ma chine, he is at the same time the re-
 lief for overcharged minds of subor- l dinates, who under certain contingen- cies, may be over-affected by mat
 ters of secondary importance. Sur | prised by some unlocked for develop
 ment and impressed by a complication that seems to them decisive and per 1 hapsl irremedia ble, a simple observa-
 ton from Joffre often reduces the ex-
 aggerated incident to it's proper pro
 portions and cooIs the blood of his subordinate
 The genera1-in-chief is not partial
 to the visits of civilians in wartime.
 He has resisted with admirable con- T sistency the constant pressure of
 thousands of influential civilians who
 have no business at the front, but
 nevertheless desire ardent1y to see it T Besides the hundreds of war cores
 pondents, the supervising committees of the Chamber of Deputies, hundreds of other influential politicians, minis ters, and other governmental officers there are the visiting notabilities from the allied countries who never fail te put in an application for, a visit to the front.
 ! When the general lunches at the general headquarters, he manages t satisfy some of these innumerable de ! mands by receiving French or foreig1 ministers, generals, other officers O. IaIIied armies or notabilities at hi = table The dinner is generally a gooC l one, because Joffre eats with an ex | cellent appetite, although he drink little and smokes not at all. It is on' 7 Eof the hours of the day which he look !, forward to, because questions re1atin, to the service are vigorously barret g from the conversation and gaiety i the rule After dinner the genera n turns over rapidly the leaves of tn e latest illustrated papers and com plains of the Multiplicity of photo : graphs representing him in all sort e of positions and poses that he rarel e finds to his taste.
 Il The general-in-chief returns to hi > work at half past eight in the evenin e to receive the reports of the day tha e have arrived in his absence. and t = l approve the communique to the pres: which is never transmitted to Pari U without having received his approba n ton. The ordnance officers bring i u the last te1egrans and receive thei
 orders for the morrow. At 10 o'c1oc @ after the members of his staff hay 5 all retired, the general finally, entire - ly alone in his workroom, finishes hi . days task.
 if MICHAEL. CALLAHAN. . Michael Callahan of 1865 Seavi e7