Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-01

upon whom the eyes Of the whole world
are centered at present.
He worked at building Notifications in
Paris, Versailles, Montpelier: he built bar
racks in Brittany; he went where he was
sent, always doing his work n little bit
better than was demanded OF him. and
always finding sufficient reward In the ac-
complishment of the task.
From 1876 until 1884 Joffre led the usual
life of garrison officer Promotion was
slow. The army In France lost to n great
extent at that time its power. as n military
force, and became in the same degree the
field for political intrigues.
There were n good many hot-heads shout
ing for revenge on Germany: but France
was too prosperous to contemplate repe-
tition of the horrors and losses of war
Paul Deroulede was composing his patriotic
songs and founding his patriotic League.
but he was frowned upon by tho middle
classes. Royalists succeeded now and again
in stirring up fears for the Republics ex-
istence: but. while the Republic became part
and parcel of Frances national exEtence.
Paris ceased TO be the center that dictated
to the rest Of the country what should or
should not be done.
General Boulanger came and went, and
with him went the last hope Of the Royal
lists of forcing military dictatorship and
n subsequent royal regime upon France.
The war of 1870 sounded the death-knell
OF hero.worshp in France.
The years went by. Joffres tousled thick
hair began to show streaks of gray. His
face began to show deep lines. Still he was
only a captain.
The unspoken question In tho eyes OF his
father whenever he greeted his eldest son
on the latter's visits to Rlvesates remained
unanswered, and II began to seem as II the
old mans secret dream of having n general
in his family was doomed never to be re-
allied.
There is one remarkable feature Of the
human side of General Joffre. He seemed
to revel in being lonely. He never sought
noisy distractions to help revive his droop-
ing spirits or to drive away his hts or
melancholy. A game of cards with his
father is tho only gambling he has ever
been credited with, and this game has ever
been ''manille," as innocent OF complica-
tions as any childs amusement
Sometimes his relatives and his fathers
friends would take part in the game. and
he would have been indeed a far-seeing
prophet who would have predicted that
the quiet officer, whose features lacked
either the aquilinity of Caesar or the de-
termination of Wellington, would be called
upon one day to play as great II not
greater. part than either Of these great
figures of history.
1t was during one of these games that
General Joffre made the now famous re-
mark, by the way, the only famous saying
VI thiS siichl man. Whiie duNioiB iuthSf
to dig oblque trenches on the family prop
erty at Bompas, In order to facilitate the
irrigation and prevent the annual inun-
dations in spring time.
"Eh que diabe," he exclaimed when his
father argued against the innovation, "je
my connais en- tranchees; c'est mon
meter" What General Joffre In a rather
irreverent way, declared means In good
English: What the devil! know all
about trenches: trenches are my speciality"
Thn 30 4
as the war Of trenches. and General Joffre
is master Of the art.
THE STARTING POINT
1t was not until 1884 that Joffre was
officially recognized as the master of the art
OF building fortifcations
His work was noticed, and when Admiral
Courbet telegraphed from Kelong, the port
on the Island of Formosa, for an officer who
understood thoroughly the way to dig
trenches and to erect forts. Joffre was
chosen for tho task.
Strictly speaking, this Wa the starting
point of General Joffres cahR
1t was at the period when &s.3 troubled
island seemed essential to FreT@S tnterests
In Asia. The islands riches had attracted
already the Spaniards, but neither they nor
the Chinese nor the Japanese, who appeared
on the scene in 1874. proved equal to the
difficulties presented by the typographical
conditions. the climate and the savage popu-
lation.
Frances occupation Of Kelong was but of
one years duration, but II was important In
establishing French rights and excluding
from Formosa the growing German infu-
ence In the Far East.
Captain Jofrre. for he still was but a
captain, was put to work on the tremendous
task Of making Kelong a formidable fort
ress. To paraphrase the immortal words of
Tennyson.
His was not TO reason why,
His was to do and try"
and Captain Joffre set to work without a