ANECDOTES OF JOFFRE

Evening Star, Issue 17543, 24 December 1920, Page 3

ANECDOTES OF JOFFRE

Refer/ing to the almost divine worship which the Trench people accorded Joffre after his victory of the Marne, a writer says that the Generalissimo was overwhelmed with presents. He was sent boxes of chocolates by confectioners, cases of champagne by wine merchants, and woollen mufflers and slippers by old ladies.

The offering of a hairdresser was a portrait of the Marshal made with the hair of those nearest and dearest to the sender, whilst hundreds of young girls, overcoming, the reticence of their sex, wanted to become engaged to him unknown to their families.

Joffre, though he never showed it in his face, breathed this incense with delight. He locked himself up for hours together to read the thousands of letters he received,, and made a point of replying to most of them.

On one occasion a great illustrated paper received permission to take his photograph seated in his office. The room habitually was particularly commonplace, and plainly furnished, and there rcere no maps on the walls. So, specially for the occasion, ar number of them were nailed on the walls to provide local color, for the public could not conceive a general without maps. Joffre was very jealous of his authority, and almost despotic, whilst he continually complained of being badly served. He possessed, however, the greatest confidence in himself. In November, 1914, one of his colonels suggested to him some designs of helmets and armor for the French troops. "My friend," replied the Generalissimo, " we wouldn't have time to make them. I will have smashed the Bosches in two months' time." These words were accompanied by a. gesture which the writer described as " terrible."