The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-09

, from the man who saved the world at the battle of the Marne.
 One of the reasons why Joffre will aI- ways hold a distinct place in my memory peculiar place in my affection, Is be- cause, of all those who came seeking American cooperation, he, more than any man, displayed his faith in the American soldier his desire to have American manhood at the front
 JOFFRE ASKS FOR MEN
 Men of the allied missions were thor oughly convinced that we could be of immediate use in very valuable way by providing money. food, munitions. It was on these things most of them were inclined to lay the early emphasis.
 But Joffre from the first day asked for men.
 Money, food, munitions! Yes, splendid, and thank you, but how soon can we have men7
 It Is possible we would have been sev- eral weeks or months longer in getting to France with our fighting forces If 1t had not been for the quiet insistence of Joffre.
 Others talked of the long training that would be necessary to prepare men for l fighting In Europe; of the necessity of retaining our regulars at home in order to train a great army that might begin to reach France six or eight months 1 later.
 Joffre said: T hope you can send troops 1 this summer. Our sore need Is fresh soldlers-sturdy, vigorous Americans Joffre had seen those sturdy, vigorous Americans" on our streets, in the throngs which had cheered him wherever he had gone. He believed In them. He uelievd in their capacity to learn quickly the art of war. He believed in their spirit
 WOULD REVIVE TIRED ARMIES And Joffre, with the memory of his own war-worn soldiers and his tired sometimes discouraged fellow country men, knew what tonic there would be for weariness and depression In the presence of even few thousand Amer ican boys--enough to march through the streets with high, set chins, and firm, resilient step; enough to carry the flag, the flag of the Stars and Stripes, and to be the visible proof and promise of American participation. While other men were thinking in material terms, Joffre was thinking in spiritual terms. He knew the morale of France, of Great Britain, of Italy would be stimulated the minute the news was flashed that American sol- diers were on European soil. He knew the morale of the enemy would be shaken the minute Berlin learned that it's confident predictions concerning the impossibility of American soldiers reaching France had been disproved.
 This was the burden of his plea to Secretary Baker. with whom he talked freely because the Secretary of War was one of the few men in Washington official life who understood French. It was the thing which he stressed when he talked to the President.
 JOFFRE IMPRESSED BY WILSON
 Joffre later expressed to me his sur prise to find that President Wilson had such a perfect mastery of the military situation. He had expected to meet scholar, statesman. and an idealist; he had not expected to meet practical strategist, fully conversant with all the military movements and using accurate ly and freely the lingo of field and camp.
 "In answer to my question as to whether it would be feasible to send, in advance of his army, the general who was to command American troops in France, the President said at once that 1t could be arranged" said Joffre in substance.
 Then the President asked me-" con tinued Joffre, what my judgment was as to the type of military leader who