AN INTERVIEW WITH JOFFRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2897, 9 October 1916, Page 9

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOFFRE

INTERESTING IMPRESSIONS All tho Americair correspondents wero at the beginning of last-month received at tho Grand-Quartier General, where t-hoy had their first formal .meeting with General JolFre.' Tho ouly other times ho ever talked .to newspaper men have been at accidental meetings on trips to tbo front. Ho was prevailed upon to make a statement commemorating tho two years of war. General Jolfro ] spoke offhand. Ho ovidently intended) beforehand to make no set speech; His attiludo throughout showed all the confidence expressed by his words. He, remained standing throughout with his -arras folded across his massi'vo ohest.. In speaking of .the. final orushing of Germany ho brought his two fists 'tOgothor and ground his knuckles against each other, ■ , • A Message to America, After .expressing his pleasure at seeing for the-first time a'group of men who, as lie declared, "represent tho entire American optnipn," iho said: '"The strugglo' is. becoming more and more bitter, butT now. by-unity of action by all tho Allies, Germany is feeling the pressure . trom , all sides. Destiny 13 ■shaping ; itself, . and it is easy for all the world to .understand what 1 will-happen. This is the best occasion to render public liomago to the manner 111 which the Allies havo discharged their part. "Russia liaa oeen able to reorganise and arm lier masses, which are now • on the front pushing forward. Once moro time has been given England to show what resources in men she could mobilise. The valour of her troops on the Somme lias ishomi the result of that effort. The Italians have a more difficult and, limited part to play, but you know how splendily they aro doing. The reconstructed Serbian army is now taking a new. part in the w#r.

v "Consider tho situation of our en-emies.--Wo know they aro lighting as despuratelj as ever, but they are drawing on their last reserves. Their plan up to now has Seen to transfer these reserves-lr.om ■ onß place to another. They : now; find 1 this impossiblo. We Know-tnls I'rpni information trom alt fronts.

"It is not for me io say how long tho .war will last; It. matters little. Wo 'Snow that tho . b.reak is coming. You feel ,as Vail as we do that we have already passed the turning point. . Our five months' resistance at Verdun sliattered'tke plans of their General Staff. Do not imagine there is as yet a distinct weakening of the forces against us. "We still lave two-thirds of tho best fighting forces of Germany opposed'to our front, rhey have 122 divisions (about 2,500,000 men) against tho French and English. while fifty divisions (about 1,125,000 men), in addition to the Austrian irmy," opposo Russia. > "As for the French troops you may see tliom for yourselves better than I can toll you about them. You are to have every facility for seeing them, and . you will see an army 'witli energy and spirit just tho same_ after two years of Avar.- You will see. an army oi' numbers actually increased to-day. You will understand wo intend to fight, to tho end. Wo arc fighting for the liberty of tho world, and we "will continue -fighting until the." liberty of the world is assured. Notwithstanding our: losses the French 'Army .will end the' war with more men •in'the field than at -the beginning.!'

A Close impression. At close range Joffre gives a far different impression than.it ia possible to ;obtain ..even in. moving pictures. He fiiVei- a?feeßngJpf/-reserve. strength such' as-'lrhavo never -.niet-,before, although all 'of his'--surface indications are of '"mildness. He. is of stocky and powerful build. - Throughout the interview ho stood with his feet planted wido apart. ; His hair is wliito and his face lined, 1 but: his' complexion is bo fresh, that at times, especially when he turn's to ask questions, .lie gives the impression 'of being blandly innocent. But when ho faces you squarely you see a faco which, although still mild most of tho time, is a perfect fighting face. His jaws are squaro and his heavy eyes are soft, but the left olio droops, and veils any thought one might otherwise imagine bo could read. His face, on the whole, Ms a decidedly Hibernian, cast, and that, drooping eye made one feel. that, he would rather not be about, if. Joffre got angry. The- appointments of his residence are plain. There was absolutely nothing about tlie place to remind one of war, except the v faot that the general naturally wore a full uniform. The wall of his work-room was literally lined with big maps. Oil the table there was nothing which led'to the idea that , Joffre does most of his work standing.: As_ they filed out ho grasped each one cordially,by the hand. It was not a galvanic hand .clasp, but one indicating a .sense.'.of quiet, ' immovable, and'unemotional.determination.