THE ALLIES’LEADERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1366, 25 February 1915, Page 4

THE ALLIES’LEADERS.

Jellicoe is of short stature, so is French, so is Smith-Dorrien, so is Joffre, so is Castelnau. Shortness seems to run amongst the Allies’ leaders. So does silence, Jellicoe is quiet and shy, French quiet and decisive, Smith-Dorrien uncommunicative and homely, Joffre quiet but aggressive. Never has so much of civilisation absolutely depended upon three men as it depends now on Jellicoe, French, and Joffre, and humanity may have something to learn from this common altitude of silence. It says a lot for Wellington’s rule—“Do your work and mind your own business.” But the quietest

of tbe lot are Kitchener and Lord Fisher, who aie said to get through a morning’s work with a large staff without saying more than ten words, each word being a command. Joffre is not of the “blood and iron’’ school. But he is as stern a disciplinarian as a soldier can be. He is in truth tbe terror of those holding high commands in the French Array, because he is known to be ruthless in breaking men who make mistakes. After the last French manoeuvres, which were ackiiow ledged to be tbe most successful ever held, Joffre retired five ' : 't commanders because of Ihuu. But all France —' ‘decadet “soft,” “temperamental.’ Haac-. —applauded the act.