The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-03-03
NlVELLE FOLLOWS A PRECISE ROUTINE

ords dealing with proceedings in court
martial, recommendations for the
awarding of decorations, special re-
ports on matters concerning the health
or the housing or the feeding or the |
transportation of troops-an endless
flood Of paper. The general signs his |
name until his wrist aches, but 1t is |
numb by the time the last OF the docu-
ments has been dealt with.
Telephones Are Kept Busy.
Throughout all this period Of sig |
natures there are intermittent spasms
of telephoning. General Nivelle must
speak to General Petain, General de
Castelnau. the chief Of the general
staff, and perhaps General Joffre.
Often NJ. BRAND or other officials are
DESTROYS Of word with the general
over the wire. Then there are numer-
GUS up-to-the-minute reports phoned
| in by subordinate officers commanders
of divisions and brigades, which must
be heard by General Nivelle himself.
| Besides, there is always the unexpect-
ed to cope with, no matter how sys-
! tematiZed warfare may have become.
The five hours to noon passes rap
idly, and luncheon often finds the gen.
eral barely abreast of his multitude
nous chores. Nevertheless, the meal is
always served on time, for 1t is sell
dom that headquarters finds itself
without guests at this hour. General
Nivelle is fond of meeting visitors to
the front and invariably invites MEM
bers of the cabinet, parliamentary dig
nitaries, distinguished foreigners and
war correspondents to luncheon with
him. The repaSt is simple one. but
well cooked, for the generals chef was
q Gordon bleu In one of the fashion
able Paris restaurants before mobili-
cation turned him into "cuistot," or
army cook.
Immediately after lunch the gen.
eral, attended usually by single aid
de-camp, climbs into his big limousine
and sets out for the firing line. He
stops at Verdun and has a chat with
General Dubois, commandant of the
citadel, about the days developments.
Then he goes forward on foot to the
; missionary, brigade and regimental
headquarters, and on into the trenches
If 1t seems necessary. On the way he
talks with "poilus" he may chance to
meet and informs himself thus at first
hand concerning that most important
rib in an army's anatomy-morale.
Little Time for Rest.
By FIVE o'clock General Nivelle is
back again at headquarters. ready to
listen to another series Of reports,
dealing with activities since a. M,
and to receive the maps corrected by
hourly airplane reconnaissance and
photography. Just before dinner he
confers with a representative of each
Of the divisions under his command,
and If it be Friday holds a great
conference with all his subordinate
general officers. Dinner, served at half
past seven, is usually a family af-
fair" only the higher functionaries of
the headquarters staff being present.
No sooner has the general finished
eating and partaken Of his demi-tasse
than he Is once more in his high
backed chair among his beloved maps
The evening is most reposeful part
. of the generals day. in the sense that
he can concentrate his thoughts on the
problems before him without fear OF
constant interruption. Orders are
given that he can be reached by tele
phone only for extremely important
reasons, and callers are excluded I'M
less on matters of the greatest ur
> gency.
The general winds up his CORE
y spondence, and with one or two chosen
q counselors from among his aids-de
camp studies the maps inch by inch
s; notes every slightest change that ha
+ occurred in "a hours, and plans hov
], best to "nibble" the Germans, or
9 battle Is in contemplation or II
lt progress, to crush them.
y On days during which an attack
e on or the fighting Is specially brisl
the program is varied to the exten
that the general spends more time a
g an observation post overlooking tn
% field Of operations-and also uses tn
re telephone more. But In any event, b
Is almost certain to 60 to bed at mid
If night, for he has learned, in commo
y with other directors Of great entel
N prises, that sleepless nights are SCI
ia dom worth clear head in the morr
1t ing.
t.
n Black Bear Died Of Indigestion.
g. Ell Paso, Tex.-"Big Tom," the 5O(
n pound black bear which amused thol