Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-03
tinguished soldier in the world. He had
won the World War.

tinguished soldier in the world. He had
won the World War.
Work Ended at Marine.
But his work was done at the Marine.
Thereafter came dissatisfaction, largely
of political fermentation. Undoubtedly,
Joffre and his staff were not well pre-
pared for the trench warfare which was
then developed. Moreover, he was
somewhat arbitrary in his attitude and
methods, and resented Tneddling by the
politicians Of the Chamber Of Deputies.
He rGckoned himself, and not the Min
lister of War. the RESPONSIBLE and au-
thoritative head OF the army. PoAti-
clans began to insinuate that he was
aiming at a dictatorship. The prime
minister, Millerand, was urged to as
sert his superior authority over Joffre,
and when he failed to do so, was
turned out of ONCE. His successor,
BRAND, was able for time to make the
while all the time he let Joffre do as
he pleased. Finally, in December, 1915,
an attempt was made to remove Jofire
from command Of the Western front by
making him commander in chief on all
fronts, everywhere. But he assumed
that wider command without In the
least relinquishing his grip upon the
Western front. When the Chamber
grew almost historical over the 6itua-
ton at Verdun, Joffre insisted that the
place was secure and that the Germans
could never capture 1t. He also pro-
tested against the Chambers crediting
any reports about the situation save
those which ne himself supplied.
yerdun Peril Cut Confidence.
Then came q tremendous German as
sault upon Verdun, which did not 1t
Is true. succeed, but which came so
perilously near doing so as to alarm all
France and gravely to discredit, in both
the official and popular mind, the con-
fident assurance Of Joffre that al was
well. Joffre's removal OF many generals
from their command aroused resent
rnent among the friends of the dis
placed officers IN the Chamber. Finally,
when he transferred Gen. SarrAil from
the Argonne to q subordinate command
In the Near East the crisis came. In
December, 1916, Sarrail was promoted
to independent command in the East,
NiveIle was made commander OF the
Western 'front.' and Joffre was recalled
to Paris as technical adviser to the
government At the same time he was
made q marshal of France, the flrst
marshal created since 1870. That ended
The following Spring. in 1917, just
before the entry of the United States
into the war, Marshal Joffre and the
former prime minister, Viviani, came to
this country at the head of the French
War Mission, to confer with President
Wilson. They were everywhere enthu-
siasticalIy received, and the marshal,
affectionately acclaimed as Papa
Joffre," placed wreaths upon the tombs
of washington and Lincoln.
After his return to France Johre was
elected in 1918 a member OF the french
Academy. He was said to have been
chosen one of the Forty Immortals as
q man of letters Besides little PAM
phlet in 1895 about his march to Tim
buctoo, his only literary work was writ
ten on September 8, 1914, the eve OF
the battle of the Marine. It was q gen.
eral order to the French Army and 1t
read:
"At this moment, when q battle IS
about to begin, upon the result OF which
the salvation of our country depends,
no one must look behind. All must
unite to attack and repel the enemy.
Any troops finding themselves unable
to- advance further must hold their
ground at all costs and must fight until
death. No retreatl"
That was all. But other men have
been elected to the Academy on the
strength Of writings Of less importance |
than that.
Mourns Wife's Death.
Joffre married Marie Amelie Pourchu-
roux, who died within q year and left |
him broken-hearted. 1t is said that it |
was because of that bereavement that
he sought service in Dahomey and hung |
himself with such furious audacity INTO |
the march to Timbuctoo. Twenty years |
later he married again, choosing for his |
second wife Nine. Lozes, widow with |
two daughters, with whom, whenever |
the intervals Of strenuous duty permit |
ted, he enjoyed q charming home |
near his birthplace at the foot Of the
Pyrenees Like most great soldiers, he |
was modest, simple, unaffected: so taci- |
turn as to be called the silent Jofre"; /
intensely loyal to his friends and capable
Of inspiring in them a like passion |
toward himself. In addition to the |
honcrs already mentioned. he received |