FRANCE: Widow Foch v. Widow Joffre

In Paris last week Mme Joffre, widow of the Marshal, revealed that she recently refused an appeal made to her by the widow of Marshal Foch.

Mme Foch had heard (as who has not?) that Papa Joffre’s soon-to-be-published memoirs contain scorching paragraphs about her husband, the Generalissimo. Calling upon Widow Joffre, Widow Foch begged: “Do let some impartial person read your husband’s memoirs before they are published! Surely it would be best for France—best for patriotic reasons—that some passages be removed. Is there not glory enough for both our husbands as things are?”

“I do not agree,” replied Mme Joffre. “My husband reread and revised each page of his manuscript not once but dozens of times before he finally initialed it. It is evident that the Marshal wished every word to appear exactly as he left it in the final text. ‘ My husband’s memoirs, Madame, will appear unexpurgated!”