GENERAL JOFFRE A GENIUS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XL, Issue 11405, 23 October 1915, Page 8

GENERAL JOFFRE A GENIUS.

UNLIMITED PRAISE. Received October 23, 1.55 p.m. London. October 22. The Daily Telegraph’s Rotterdam correspondent learns from a German staff officer that Berlin military circles regard General Joffre as a genius. Berlin militarists wen's extremely nervous in the early stages of the French attack on the Champagne, but became calmer when the French troops did not succeed in breaking the line. General Joffre’s plan was perfect and unsurpassed by any tactics of the whole war. The wonderful co-ordination between the General and his staff, and the plans and arrangements for carrying them out so sucessfully, and the elaborate manner in w'hich details were worked out and focussed constitutes a remarkable achievement of generalship. He highly praises the AngloFrench troops, and regards the Indians work as a revelation and a striking contrast to the newspapers’ scoffings at these coloured Englishmen. ...

They had such high admiration for the British attack and nothing hut praise for the troops, hut were inclined to criticise the tactical scheme upon the points whereon they eulogised French ocffiers. It was admitted that the west front offensive had relieved the German pressure on the Russians. Perhaps the most critical moment was when Von Hindeuburg’s attempt to envelope the Vilua triangle was threatened with great disaster and the Germans were compelled £to withdraw large forces to the east front. They reached Belgium terribly oxhaustd, ragged, warworn and not rested. After three months’ continnouds fighting in Galicia and elsewhere on the east front, 'With the severest privations they were often pushed on ahead of supplies and told to get food in Russian villages hut were compelled to search dead Russian battlefields for bread and rations. They were compelled to march westward for ten days, travelling by train five days. They bitterly complained of the harshness of the officers. The reserves from Belgium were withdrawn to the last man, and Brussel Is and Antwerp on the 2(ith September were denuded of troops for the first time since its occupation. Every man was hurried to the front, leaving only the Landsturm, who are greybeards.

RECRUITING iiST AUSTRALIA. Sydnej', Oct. 22. A feature of tbe new recruiting campaign is the addresses by returned soldiers and their pressing insistence on the urgent need to send immediate help to the b 03 r s in the trenches All.the speakers have . a sterner tone than in the pi’evious campaign, with the hint that events may require something stronger than the present system of voluntaryism. Though recruiting has improved, it is not fully up to expectations. Melbourne, Oct. 23. Of 551,961 war census cards, so far sorted, 63% per cent have been classed as fit, 63 per cent doubtful, and the remainder unfit.