GENERAL JOFFRE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2601, 25 October 1915, Page 5

GENERAL JOFFRE

A MILITARY GENIUS GERMAN OPINION OF THE FRENCH COMMANDER, By Teleerarh—Press Association—CJopyrisM London, October 22. The correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" at Rotterdam learns from a German staff officer that General Joffre is regarded in Berlin military circles as a genius. Berlin militarists were extremely nervous in the early stages of the French attack in the Champagne, but became calmer when tho French troops did not succeed in breaking, the line. ■ General Joffre's plan was perfect, and was unsurpassed by any tactics in tho whole war. There was wonderful coordination between the plans of the General Staff, and the arrangements for carrying them out wore successful. The elaborate manner in which the details were worked out and focussed constitutes a remarkable achievement of careful generalship. The officer highly praises tho British and French troops, and regards the work of the Indians as a revelation. His opinion is in striking contrast with the newspaper scoffings at "these coloured Englishmen." Tho officer had no such high admiration for the British attack. He had Uothing but praise for the troops, but was inclined to criticise the tactical scheme upon the points on which ho eulogised the French officers. He admitted that the West front, offensive had relieved the Gorman pressure on the Russians at perhaps the most critical moment, when von Hindenburg's attempt to envelop tho Vilna triangle threatened a great disaster. Tho Germans were compolled to withdraw largo forces from ffie East front. They reached Belgium terribly exhausted, ragged, war-worn, and unrested, after three months of continuous fighting in Gnlicia and elsewhere on tho East front, _ They had suffered most severe privations, ibeirig often pushed on ahead of the supplies. They n-ero told to get food from the Russian villages, hut were compelled to search the dead on the Russian battlefields for their bread rations.