Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
The Victor Of the Marine.

Named in baptism Joseph Jacques
Cesaire, the marshal of France who
died yesterday in Paris was best known
to his countrymen as Papa" Jo1re.
It was q title Of affection, of trust.
The world at large did not know Joffre
well when the great war began. He
had fought as q youth in the War of
1870. He had won laurels In African
campaigns. He had achieved distinc-
ton as a military organizer and as a.
strategist. But when the storm burst
only the French knew of his merits.
He was then a member Of the high
war council. He was not, indeed, the
outstanding officer of high command in
the French army, and but for the fact
that he was slightly younger than Pau
and Gallieni, who were soon to reach
retirement age, and Foch, who was due
to 80 on the reserve lists shortly after
those officers, Joffre would not have
been in q position to take the supreme
command, which became his by virtue
Of his status as chief of the general
stad, which he held in July, 1914.
with the name Of Joffre will always
be linked the title Of the first great
battle of the war, the first battle of
the Marine. In the final summing up
, of the events of the ten days during
which it passed through its several
stages it was his victory. Others con-
tributed greatly to that victory, and to
them Joffre gave unstinting credit. To
Foch, who in later years rose to the
high command but who at the Marne
commanded one of the several armies
Of the French and British forces, Joffre
for his remarkable performance in the
center at the crux Of the struggle. To
Manouri, who struck an effective blow
upon the German right flank and dis
located the entire line of the invaders
force; to Gallieni, who first noted the
opportunity for the striking of this blow
and organized the force that was to
deliver It; to French, who directed the
part assigned to the British army in
the final movement that turned the
great retreat into an allied offensive;
to Castelnau, who held the enemy at
bay on the Grand Couronne and thus
prevented q German thanking move
ment from the east: to Serial, who
held the army Of the German Crown
Prince in check below Verdun and kept
the lines intact for the final push-to
all who contributed to the victory Joffre
paid tribute heartily and Immediately.
Marshal Joffre made military history
with his order Of the day. which was
issued on the eve of the allied offensive
that brought victory at the Marine. It
was brief. eloquent and effective:
At the moment Of the opening Of the
battle upon which the safety of the
country depends It must be recalled to
every man that this is no time TO look
backward ALI efforts must be made to
attack and repel the enemy. Troops
that can no longer advance must, at
whatever cost, hold the ground won,
and sacrifice themselves on the spot
rather than retreat. In the face Of
these facts there must be no faltering.
It seemed to the watching world that
q veritable miracle had occurred when
the spirit which this order breathed
effected q victory after long series Of
defeats that would have demoraised
q less nobly inspired force and one less
ably commanded. Joffre then became
= figure Of magnitude. Yet he was not
the ideal Of the soldier. He was rather
the kindly, fatherly. friendly gentleman
whom chance had given a military
uniform for a garb. It was then that
his popular French title of Papa"
Joffre became known beyond the boun-
daries Of his land. When, little later,
he was relieved of his high command
and given rank as technical adviser to
the government in matters concerning
the direction Of the war, he held, as he
continued TO hold TO the hour of his
death, the love of his countrymen, as
he held the esteem of the world.
Joffre outlived many of his colleagues
Of the great war. He survived the
animosities that were engendered by
the struggle and the political complica-
tons growing out Of it. He participated
in few Of the controversies, though he
was partisan to some Of those who were
engaged in them. Foch has gone,
Clemencesu hao passed and Poincare
Is desperately Ill and is likely to live
but little longer, and will never again
take part in active affairs. Now Joffre
goes, and for him there Is the deepest
sorrow. as there is the highest praise
for his great service.