The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-01-27
General Joffre Will Rank in His
tory With the AbIest of
Soldiers.
YOUNGER MAN IN HIS PLACE
Hero of the Battle of the Marine is
Succeeded by General NiveIIe, but
His Great Talents Will Still
Be at Service of Allies as
War Council Head.

Paris.-General Joffre has been su
perseded. The active command of tn,
French armies in the field has beer
placed in the hands of younger man
General Nivelle, the hero of Verdun
General Joffre has been made head OF
the allied war council. Unprecedented
observers agree he has today the great
est military record Of any of the lead
ers In the present war. He will rank in
history with Napoleon /, Hannibal
Caesar and George Washington.
He won the battle Of the Marine
where defeat would have meant com.
plete German success in the conflict
He won 1t twice-first, by directing
French preparations In the critical
years, 1911 to 1914, and, second, by
leading the armies of the Republic
In that Hateful month of September,
1914, on the field of battle.
Joffre has commanded the armies of
warning nation longer than any other
man in this war. Hindenburg's victo-
ries in the two battles of East Prussia
Involved smaller numbers of men and
smaller responsibilities by far than
those which the idol of the French peo-
pie has borne through more than two
years of heart-wracking strife.
The Old Man Of the Lakes follows
Won Falkenhayn and Won Moltke as
supreme military leader-under the
kaiser-of Germany. Who knows how
long he will last? In the British land
forces Sir Douglas Haig has superseded
French; in Russia the Grand Duke
Nicholas has given place to the car,
and General Alexieff sharing highest
command; In Austria-Hungary the
leadership has shifted and finally been
given almost entirely into alien hands;
while Italy's troops, although always
under General Count Cadorna, have
not been fighting so long as those of
the other great powers.
Age His Only Fault.
The slowing-up of the battle of the
Somme without a distinguished allied
success. has been great disappoint-
ment to France. But few Frenchmen
blame Joffre for this. Criticism of him
has to find comfort In the fact that he
Is old, that he fought in the Franco
Prussian war, and that his driving
force theoretically should be exceeded
BY that of younger man.
He Is one Of group Of great
French leaders who got their earlier
training in the 1870-71 struggle with
Germany. The others Of the group
include the one-armed hero, General
Pau, and General Foch, who has been
IN direct command of the Somme op-
erations.
The present war has brought to the
tore certain younger officers. Men who |
we're only colonies or less when the |
struggle commenced are now COM
handing army groups. Paris politi-
.ians OF the intriguing sort have been
demanding for some time that the old
r leaders step aside and let the young |
tiers show what they can do.
But nothing that may happen can
linn the great glory of Joffre. 1t Is
afe to say that vote by either the
soldiers or the civilians Of France
would continue him in the post he has
Ield since 1911.
In that year the archaic French milf
airy organization started toward re-
orm. The army was to have Its first
cal commander In chief In many
ears. Cabinet, army leaders and the
eopie alike united In the demand that
his position go to General Pau. i,
But Pau, the patriot. standing In
reat council, declined the honor.
ointing to Joffre, he said: 'There /,
lands the only possible man." +
So 'Joffre was selected, because Pau
anted him as his superior. The choice
as disappointment to the public,
J whom Joffre was little known.
In many ways Joffre is more Ger
an than Partisan. Sober, simple In
abits, industrious. rising at five and 4
ping to bed at ten, and making no
'eat public appearance, he was not /
e figure to strike the French imag- I
alton at first view. I
I strong for Efficiency.
His career had already been marked !
! several acts Of gallantry, but It was 7
an efficiency man, an engineer, a 9
stematizer and organizer, who was
t too proud to learn from the kais- {
s great general staff. that he had 9
pressed rau and Casteinau and 9TH 9
8, who now became his immediate /
struments 10 regenerating the French q
my. h
Joffre IL not the Frenchman Of Paris, Q
{ the Woodworking peasant type q
lich made France great. He was .
70 In Riversaltes, In the East Pyre- To-
ess and loves today to talk the Cata- :
j dialect with his old friends there. n
] was the third of eleven children a
race suicide. one may deduct. The fl
nily were additionally coopers, and
ne Of them had had military careers. el
ere Is some Spanish blood In Jones' %
ns. "a
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