Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, May 11, 1921, Page 7, Image 7
THE BEE: OMAHA. WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1921. Marshal Joffre, Most Beloved French General, Was Largely Responsible for Speeding American Troops to France By JO&EPHUS DANIELS Farmtr SwrtUry of th Nry 1913 t 1921. Copyright, 1)21. ky Jeh T. DIM. Cowtlht by National Nnmnr 8rvlc. Co(yrlht l Grt Brit ln. Cintdi and thrtuthtut Franc. All rlliu rtunmd. Ineludlni traiitlitl Into toral Itniutiet. Includlni th Sfni)ltvlt. Umuthorlud rrlntlni fw any uom IsrWdrfia. t The early dispatch of American troops to France, and the selection of General Pershing to command the American expeditionary force, were both due in no small degree to the urging and advice of one man Marshal Joffre, the hero of the Marne. Americans hold in admiration the military leaders of the allied coun tries. The name of Foch will be a source of inspiration for many years to come? It is synonymous with victory. But the name of Joffre will be loved as well as honored in America as long as there are men and women left who saw him and lisjened to him when he came to us in those stirring days of 1917. I doubt if ever in history has there been a great military hero, a win ner of mighty battles, a commander of conquering armies, whose person ality was so charming, so winsome, so provocative of confidence and af fection as that of this French general. "Thought You Were Papa Joffre." The story is told of a Freflch pri vate soldier who had laid a friendly hand upon the arm of a French of ficer, only to be stingingly rebuked for his undue familiarity. "I beg your pardon, sir," said the private, saluting. "I thought you ' were 'Papa Joffre." The ruth of that story will not be doubted by anyone who has seen "Papa Joffre." There is only one word which I can think of that is adequately applicable to him. I do not think I have ever used it before , with reference to a man. The French marshal is beautiful beautiful in the expression of his eyes, in his com plexion, in his simple and" dignified bearing and, most of all, in the de lightful spirit of his contact and con versation with his fellows. Now and then during the war when I saw an officer rigid and sUrn, over-impressed by his own su periority to all ordinary mortals, I wished all men in authority might have learned manners from the man who saved the world at the battle of the Marne. One of the reasons why Joffre 'will always hold a distinct place in my memory, a peculiar place in my affection, is because, of all those who came seeking American co-operation, he. more than any man, dis played his faith in the American sol dier, his desire to have American manhood at the front. Joffre Asks for Men. Men of the allied missions were t, Voughly convinced that we couM be Nf immediate use in a very valu able ,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 oon can we have men? " is possible we would have been several weeks or months longer in getting to France with our fighting forces if it had not been for the quiet insistence of Joffre. . 1 Others talked of the long tram ing that would be necessary to pre pare men for fighting in Europe;.of the necessity of retaining our regu- . lars at home in order to train a, great army that might begin to reach France six or eight months later. Joffre said: ' hope you can send " troops this summer: Our sre need is fresh .... soldiers sturdy, vigorous Americans." Joffre had seen those "sturdy, vig orous Americans" on our streets, in the throngs which had cheered him wherever he had gone. He believed in them. He believe' their ca pacity to learn qu'.nly the art of war. He believed in their spirit. ' Would Revive Tire" Armies. And Joffre, with the memory of his own war-worn soldiers and his tired, sometimes discouraged fellow countrymen, knew what a tonic there would be for weariness and depres sion in the presence of even a few thousand American boys enough to inarch 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 Ameri can 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 ne.;o was flashed that American soldiers were on European " soil. He knew the morale of the enemy would be shaken the minute Berlin learned that its confident pre dictions concerning the impossibil ity of American soldiers reaching France had been disproved. This was the "urden of his plea to Secretary Baker, with whom he ' talked freely because the secretary of, war was one of the few mcnin Washington official life who undcr- " stood French. It was the thing which he stressed when he talked to the president. Joffre Impressed by Wilson. Joffre later expressed to me his surprise to find tint President Wil son had such a perfect mastery of the military situation. He had ex pected to meet a scholar, a states man, and an idealist; he had not expected to meet a practical strate gist, fully conversant with all the , militaryamovemcnts. and using ac curately 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 pnee that it could be arranged," said Joffre in substance. "Then the president asked me," . continued Joffre, "what my judgment was as to the type of military leader . who should go over ahead of the main body of American troops, and whether he should not be chosen rather because of fitness to train troops for actual warfare than be cause of his mastery of military ; ! strategy." The marshal's answer to the presi- , ocnt was that in order to meet the situation fully the, general chosen to send over first should combine the v. qualities of a capable trainer of sol diers and a genius for strategy. It .was the marshal's urgent advice to . this effect which led to the decision to recall General Pershing from the Mexican border and to send him to France. Events justified the deci sion. General Pershing measured up to the standard Joffre had set. When the president and the sec retary of war had fallen in with the desire of Joffre for the earliest pos sible dispatch, of American troops to France, the objection was heard that it was useless to send troops until we were in a position to mu nition them amply. Every munition plant in the United States had been running at full speed since 1915 turning out munitions for France, Great Britain and Russia. It was manifestly impossible that they could immediately supply with artillery and shells the additional mil lions of men America was to put in the field. New factories would have to bt built, and in an incredibly short space of time this was done. "Meanwhile," said Joffre, "we can equip your soldiers from the large supplies we have." He was wise enough, since we were now allies, to propose that pooling of supplies which in the end made the exercise of the united . strength of the allies so much more effective. "For months otir troops had to depend upon the French for shells," critics of the war administration have said. It is an absurd criticism at a time when the allies were depending upon us for troops, and we were turning out vast quantities of munitions. Each Gave What' It Had. All of us gave them what we had most of to give, and what we could give most promptly and usefully. That was the understanding reached in those Washington conferences; America began giving men at once, and France gave shells. But Amer ica was making shells for France, and had been for two years, and it began at once making shells and every other needed munition for it self. Our allies had no criticism to offer for inability to continue to provide them with all they had been taking in munitions, and at the same time to' provide everything necessary for a new army of 4,000,000 men. Joffre heard people say "Ships will win the war," or "Coal will win the war," or "Food will win the war." He recognized the importance of all the necessary agencies. But he was too good a soldier to believe that lything could win the war except fighting men. , And he was wise enough, too, to know what it took a long time to PARKER'S HAIR BALSAM Restore! Color and I Beauty to Gray and Faded Hair) ow (inn 9I.W at i Ttifrirlfits. BOWEN'S' Special Values This Week at Bowen's on Yard Carpeting We have just received sev- eral thousand yards of car peting jn most exquisite pat terns, and now offer them to the public at prices astonish ingly low. A brief inspection of the shipment will readily prove the values offered, and, if you are in need of carpeting, whether it be 10 or 1,000 yards, you can purchase here this week at a money-saving advantage. Perhaps the floor of the" room you want to cover is of irregular shape. If so, then .buy yard carpeting anqJiave it perfectly covered It may only be the hall that requires a piece of a. few yards long. Whatever it is you will find patterns to your' liking here. SEE DISPLAY 0N , SECOND FLOOR i OfWMAi VALUt (IVINS STORt Howard St. Btw. 15th 16th. Permanent Hair Health Promoted by Cutkura Frequent shampoos with Cutkura Soap, assisted when necessary by gentle .anointings with Cuticura Ointment; afford the. purest, sweet est and most economical method of freeing the scalp of itchings and calinga and of establishing a hair growing condition. mtbauerrMtol'Ul. AMt CirU. anuria. Dtyt..MlaatJUM." Sold where. Soaaaie Ointment Sand Mr. Talcemtte. aXuticura Soap attara without mac. teach some military and civilian lead ers, to-wit: That sending troops first would insure sending food to keep them alive and guns and ammunition to fight with. He knew Americans, who had sent their boys to France with only a few weeks' supplies, would make or find a .way to get to them everything they might peed of which their allies did not have a sur plus in the field. Rush Men to the Front. Our War department rushed nuk ing ready to send soldiers abroad, rushed training of men here, and took to heart Joffre's repeated sug gestion that as quick as possible the American flag floating over Ameri can soldiers should be seen at the front. The secretary of war and his assistants lost no time in hurry ing troops to the front after General Pershing had arrived and was mak ing wise disposition of them as rapidly as they could be transported. I think Marshal Joffre had the vis ion then to see and hear what an old French woman told about when our soldiers actually did reach France and did all the things which Joffre foresaw they would do. It was shortly after the American soldiers were on the move, but before they had got fully into action. V "I had been ordered from my 1 house," she said, "tor the third time during the war. The 'Germans weit i coming and we must take our little ' belongings and hurry toward Pari. All along the road were men and women and children a pathetic sight some with poor old horses and many carry ing. their little house hold necessities in packs. Hopeless and desperate they were plodding along out of the track of the in vaders. Suddenly we heard a rum bling in the distance like thunder. It came nearer and nearer, louder and louder was the sound. It was a hundred, yes, monsieur, it was a thousand. Oh! it seemed like a mil lion trucks moving toward us. Sang the American Classic. "Clear the track. Get out of the way! came the command in a tongue strange to most of us. We huddled together on the side of the road to escape the trucks as they wheeled by. They were filled with handsome, ruddy cheeked, stalwart lads, witii the glory of youth upon them. And as these robust boys in khaki rode along they were singing a song. Voj could hear their loud and cheery and heartening voice all down the valley. Oh! monsieur, it was so beautiful, it was so inspiring. 1 could not fully "understand it, but it gave me confidence and courage. It must have been an American classic. I understand English- so poorly, monsieur; but it sounded something like this: "'Hail, hail, the gang's all here, What the hell do we 'care.', "What those words, mean I do not know, but one thing I know is that after they'passed singing that song we were told we could go back to our homes, and we have lived in peace and quiet ever since. Heaven's blessings on those American boys and upon - their national air, if it ii their national air." (Another article by former Secre tary Daniels will be printed tomoH row.) Of course, Coffee is healthful. Think of the mil lions who have been drinking it for five, ten, twenty, forty, sixty years! JOINT COFFEE TRAD I, PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 74 Wall Street New York the univerrctl drink CADILLAC Service and Repair Department 26th and Farnatn Street onooono u o D o D o D o a o D o a o a o a o D o a o n oaono customers We make it right, Our satisfied our best asset. Have your Cadillac attended by efficient, capable me chanics, who, through con stant practice, can do it for less in the long run. oaoaonoDQ i r u 1 ', Tisn P m Conant Hotel Company lt 8 OMAHA ' 1 g " fcvtaa- HOTELS ' " Q (( V JliiT U back of theH Hotel. . 32... fit II re O tfSl J) jj f, jjlj Guetmy(opatany drifltCBClB 0 : htl !' .Mof,r-wah...ur. 93 S B H 'Ei lalBlaBij h.ne.t value and fair CSfitkat Jj I iifrff h mm DKOItL MNFOItB ""- NMMM ft .... ii u i. ii ss S-51 liua I S HOTELS Sliiiii aaHilia.fu CENTRALLY 1 ARE jjliiiil Ui Hi iiillJ LOCATED I FIREPROOF !((( IJl iiiiliUHil AND ON 9 AND HtUlU la. ,.... . DIRECT J. H. Hansen Cadillac Co Service Department ononononoD y Eight CHOCOLATES INNER-CIRCLE CANDIES' New CI nee Effective May 7th, 1921 "Four-Ninety" Models Touring Car Roadster -Sedan - - Coupe Light Delivery Wagon $ 645 635 1195 1 1 55 645 Ail prices f. o. b. Flint, Michigan CHEVROLET MOTOR COMPANY RETAIL STORE 2659 Farnam St. OMAHA Phone Har. 7280 More than 4000 Dealers, Retail Stores and Service 'Stations in the United States and Canada. IMPORTANT NOTICE The offer to refund $70 to purchasers of "Four-Ninety" open models and $100 to purchasers of closed models is hereby withdrawn. Certificates issued under this'plan are redeemable at face value at office indicated on certificate. 1