Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-30
JOFFRE APPEALS
Continued from Page One)

once more lighting shoulder to shoulder
in the defense of liberty. The victories
/ which they will certainly win will hasten
the end of the war and will tighten the
links of affection and esteem which have
ever united France and the United
States
! When the cheering died away at the
| conclusion of the reading of the aides
English translation, Emile Hovelaque,
general counsellor of the mission. invited
the correspondents to ask questions.
! NJ Hovelaque or one of the aides trans
lated the question and the marshal re-
piled in French. The replies were most
frank.
MANY of the correspondents questions
were prompted by the knowledge that the
marshal favors the sending Of an Ameri-
can expeditionary force to France as soon
as possible.
Later in the day the correspondents
were informed that it was the desire OF
the French mission that their conversa-
lions with Marshal Joffre not be published
until they had been submitted to tha
state department and that the approved
text of the questions and answers would
be given out later.
Rene Viviani, head of the French mis-
sion. dined tonight with Henry White.
Among those present was Archbishop Ire
land.
! General Scott chief of staff of the ar
NV. entertained Mashal Joffre and MEM
bers Of the military section at dinner.
Joffre's Answers
! Late today the French mission
! through the state department, gave out
the following statement covering the
questions asked Marshal Joffre and the
answers made by him:
The following questions were asked OF
Marshal Joffre
; rs it advisable to withdraw Americans
now on the field of battle and form an in
dependent American CORPSE"
Marshal Joffre said he did not think 1t
| a good method to withdraw Americans
who are at the 'front.' it would be better
that they should be used for any units
which might be sent to France. Marshal
Joffre thinks it would be of the greatest
! Importance that the American flag should
be seen in France. everyone would then
/ feel that YOU were there. But this does
not apply to certain specialists who might
be especially wanted here; they would be
useful in developing the training OF
| American soldiers, but in his opinion
Americans already there should stay
there He thinks now that the battle is
raging every energy must be added to
forces already fighting on the French
front: and that is why Americans already
in France are needed to help the fighters
there.
Would the marshal prefer to have our
regulars there?"
Marshal Joffre considered the problem
far too difficult to be solved without ma
ture consideration.
The marshal was asked how long a Pc
Rod of training was necessary to form a
new army.
HE replied that no definite answer
to such a question was possible. First,
the war Office alone really known the
exact conditions. Second, the example
Of England may thrown some light on
the probable time it would take. Staff
officers necessa rily are only slowly pre-
pared. But subordinate officers can be
trained with considerable speed when
such fine material as the English is
concerned. The American army would
probably develop faster. as 1t would
profit by the experiences Of the Brit
ish and French armies If large army
completely equipped had to be trans
ported at one time, the transportation
would be a tremendous problem. He
would therefore consider 1t better to
send unit by unit over at time.
Marshal Joffre was asked would it
be possible to tell of any exneriences