Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11
JOFFRE COMPARED
WITH WASHINGTON
Representative Beck'S EuIogy
of French Marshal Shows
Qualities in Common.

While there was a striking parallel
between the military careers of Gen.
George Washington and Marshal Joffre,
Representative James M. Beck of Penn
sylvania, in delivering a eulogy in the
House on the great French commander
last week, declared the quality they had
most in common was their modesty.
washington never claimed credit for
any vistory nor did Marshal Joffre,"
said Mr.. Beck, who spoke on the day
the defender of the Marine died in Paris.
From that time, on September 4,
when Marshal Joffre issued his inspir-
ing call to the men of France to adj
vance or die in their tracks in defense
of France" said Mr.. Beck, "Joffre never
made any claim for credit or the worlds
applause. Even the commanders whom
he vanquished have written many pages
In Vindication Of their respective
achievements, but the heroic victor of
the Marine has been content to let his
epic achievements speak for him. In
all the controversies that have arisen
since, Joffre remained as silent and Sc
rene as he was on that fateful fourth
day of September, 1914, when, after
several hours of silent elaboration he
turned to his staff and simply said
we will make our stand on the
Marne'"
Choice of Burial Place.
AS George Washington's body rests
N the Quietude Of his home at Mount
Vernon. Mr.. Beck pointed out, so Mar
shall Joffre preferred to be buried at his
own home.
This suggests a true parallel that
could be drawn between Joffre and
Washington, for each of them was SUI
premely great in those qualities of gen.
tleness, modesty and courage which
Fl10Ra fhaf great NIIolifu IF cOfrl
which we call magnanimity."
Mr.. Beck said the miracle of the
Marine" is in many respects the great
est battle ever staged in the world,
whether it be judged by quantitative or
qualitative values. Measure by battle
frontage, he said, the field was approx
mately the same as the distance from
New York to Washington. It was, in
fact five battles, fought simultaneously
by Joffre against the German high
command, he pointed out each battle
being as great In numbers and space as
Waterloo. Sedan or Gettysburg.
High Command Differences.
The German high command during
the battle of the Marine, Mr.. Beck said,
directed the battle from a point as re-
moved as Luxembourg, and treated the
army as though it were q system of
transportation, to be operated on sched-
uleo time
Joffre, on the other hand treated his
army not as a machine, but as a great
collective SOUL" he said, land he showed
the highest genius of a commander in
changing his plans from day to day,
and almost from hour to hour"
Mr.. Beck, in conclusion, declared that |
In recent years the subtle poison of |
propaganda has run through the veins
of the allied nations, and we are now
taught that the World War was either a
stupendous economic fatality for which |
no nation was to blame, or that it was
q culpable and fraticidal conflict for
which all nations were equally respon-
sible
IF this latter view be correct, then
the sons of France and England and |
America who followed what to them |
seemed a heavenly vision Of justice,
were the victims of great delusion. /
cannot believe this