Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-24
GENERAL JOFFRE HERO
OF FIRST MARINE BATTLE
Continued from page 1.

mans had every expectation OF captur-
Ing Paris and. France once smashed,
of turning their strength to finish the
thcn menscinw Russia. The French
government. meanwhile. had moved
TO Bordeaux. JofYre decided to strike
September 9. with fast and furious
flank attacks. following the terrific
frontal onrlaughts OF the enemy. Tho
German right wing under General
Alexander Won Kluck. checked by
Joffre's unexpected and tremendous
counter offensive. fell back upon the
Aiene river on September 10 and ex-
tended itself northwnrd through Pi-
cardy. Arto~ and Flanders to tho Bel
gium coast. Paris wae eaved and Jof-
IRE was acclaimed hero OF France.
After tho battle III the Marne. the
Germans In tho West took TO the
trenches and dug themselves IN and
thcn began four years OF new type
of warfare In which every death -deal-
Ing device and artifice OF human In
gcnuity wss employed. Reconnaissance
showed that AT ono time the trenches
In the Western front consisted OF 80
parallel limos. which with the COM
munication trenches. aggregated 25,-
600 miles.
Jofrre remarked: I'VE havo only 10
keep the path we are now following
to bc euro of victory"
From October. 1914. To July. 1918.
the long entronched battle line from
the coast 20 Switzerland remained al
most stationary. although numerous
tTrifc attempts TO break through were
made by the Germans. notably I'm
FLANDERS, at Npros. In tho Argonne. at
Nerdun, between ST. Qucntine and La
Zero. toward Amiens. NJ Chemin des
DANES. between Rheims and Soissons
and again Mt tho Marine.
t1ve OF the greatest German drives
falling. tho Allies found themselves in
position again To take the offensive
III July, 1918, and the following Octo-
Der they smashed the so-callcd Hin
denhurs Line" cleared the Belgian
coast and advanced along the river
Mouse. threatening all German COM
munioations and compelling the enemy
to ask FOR tho armistice which was
granted on November IL. 1918.
/ Meanwhile. Jofrre had retired from
active command and had been created
.
battle OF the Marnc. occasional Allied
reNersee cast shadow upon the glory
OF the great French soldier. He had
aroused enmities in the Chamber OF
Deputies by his dismissal Of Ia gener-
ala and his replacement OF them by
younger commanders
/ In 1917, a few weeks prior TO the
entry OF the United States in the great
struggle. Marshal Jofrre and former
Premier Niviani. as the heads OF the
French War Mission. came TO this
country and discussed with President
! Wilson and other officials America g
participation In tho war. They were
enthusiastically greeted everywhere IN
their tour OF the cities In the East and
Middle West.
! In 1918 Jofrre was elected n member
OF the French Academy, thus becom-
inG one OF the Forty Immortals- He
was chosen on his literary record. His
work was written on September G.
1910. on the eve OF the battle OF tho
Marne In a general order TO his army
and read: AT this moment. when a
battle is about 20 commence upon the
result OF which the salvation OF our
country depends, no one must look be-
hind. All must unite TO attack and
repel the enemy. Any troop finding
itself unable 10 advance further. must
hold the ground at all cost and mus,
fsht unul death. No retreat"
After the battle OF the Marne. a
friend remarked. General. you have
won the greatest battle OF the ages "
Jofsre replied. What hope have
won IL an early rest in my little home
In Pyrcnet"