Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-21
ANENT THE WAR OFFICE
Viscount Esher Submits indie
pendent Report.
A TTNnTHV nOCUMENT
A LENGTHY DOCUMENT
LORD ROWTON AND BEACONS'
FIELDS BIOGRAPHY.
Formers Death Revives the Question
as to Who Will Pre-
pare It.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
LONDON, November H. 1903
The appointment of the committee to
| consider the question of war office organ
| ization makes it interesting to review some
! of the most striking suggestions that were
| made by the various witnesses who gave
| evidence before the war commission WIS.,
count Esher, who is chairman of the new
| committee was, of course, a member of the
war commission, and presented an indepen-
! dent report of his own. This Is a very
lengthy document but it's general purport
may be indicated in a very few words
The scheme he propounded was a general
| remodeling of the department on the lines
of the admiralty, and the abolition Of the
| Office of commander-in-chief. The post
| which Earl Roberts now fills should give
place, Lord Esher thinks, to an office or
general officer commanding the army, who
would be removed from the war office, and
| intrusted with the discipline OF the army
and the functions Of inspector general or
| his maiestys forces.
The fact that Lord Esher has been Sc
| lected to act as chairman of the newly APP
pointed committee seems to indicate that
| the authorities attach good deal Oh I'LL
portance to his proposals.
1 am told, however, that schemes pro-
pounded by other witnesses will also De
| thoroughly investigated, and some OF them
certainly deserve consideration. Sir Cole
ridge Grove than whom there is no more
| brilliant administrator at the war ofice,
made various suggestions that deserve TO
be weighed.
1.-THE very first requisite, to my mind,
| he told the war commission, lin any war
office reform is. by the assembling OF the
strongest possible commission that can DC
got together or some similar means, TO de-
| termtne what shall be the army Wnlch IN
the normal peace time the country shall
maintain and, as necessary corollary ana
consequence from that: What shail oe the
army it is to put into the field In war.
Sir Coleridge also urged that the organl-
cation Of the war office should De orougnI
more in a line with that of big commercial
houses and demanded more permanency IN
the appointment of the high ohclals OF the
Lord Wolseley, who also gave his views
at length, seemed to pc IN , genera te the
ACCESSIBILITY Of doing away with the post OF
commander-in-chief, but he wanted his
place to be taken by military secretary OF
state, as suggested by lord Rosebery.
Beaconsield's Biography.
With the death of Lord Rowton is revived
the question OF that great biography OF
Lord Beaconsfield for which the political
world never ceased to look to him. He him
self maintained singular reticence on the
subject and never publicly admitted or re-
pudiated the story that it was Queen Vic
toria who stood in the way of the publica-
ton.
This became the commonly accepted ex-
PLANTATION Of the long delay, but a hope was
always cherished that her majesty would
withdraw her veto, and with the open
ing of new reign there was rather con-
fident expectation that Lord Rowton would
be permitted to lift the veil upon the hidden
chapters in the career Of his great chief
and patron.
This expecta tion however, was not real-
lied. Lord Rowton devoted most of his
time to phlanthropic work the great Lon
don housing homes which bare his name
are now famous; but he enjoyed the social
whirl, and was frequently to be seen at the
opera and theater. There never was any
whisper OF his being engaged on the great
fascinate Europe. Nor did he wear the
look of man employed on big, absorbing
task.
Genial, handsome and tactful. he moved
in the world of fashion and politics with a
smooth enjoyment of it's wisdom and it's
folly, its greatness and its Httleness that
i reminded q, one of the debonair figures de-
be, less commonplace period.
10 know Lord Rowton was partly to I'M
aerstand the friendship that existed be-
tween him and Lord Beaconsfield This in
umacy was something different from that
which ordinarily springs I'D between a
great and powerful statesman and his con-
fdential secretary. Lord Beaconsfield was
what Mr. Gladstone never became coz.
summate judge of men, '0A'-
Marveled at the Sight.
In the old days when Lord Rowton. Montv
CORY, as he then was. walked arm-tn-arm
with his chief along Whitehall, there were
simple minded people who marveled at the
slght, and again, when Lord Beaconsfield
MADE his private secretary peer, the same
order OF people expressed real astonish-
ment.
But Lord Rowton justified all the conf
dence placed in him, and all the bonors and
rewards conferred upon him. He was a
man of breeding, culture. sympathy and
infinite tact. 1t has been said of him that
II ne mad gone into the diplomatic service
he would have made for himself a career of
the highest distinction In that sphere.
Not unfrequently, when there was a diff
cult and delicate piece of work to be done.
the great man delegated it to his private
secretary. and he seldom neglected to take
his advice in any critical or embarras sing
situation. The browning mark of Confidence
came when Lord Beaconsfield left his let
tiers and papers to Lord Rowton with an
solute discretion as to their use and publi-
cation. ~
Interest is now conferred of course In
Lord Rowton's disposal of the Beaconsfeld
letters and papers. In some quarters there
is an idea that during all these years he
may not only have sifted and arranged
them, but may have written the biography
SO much discussed and SO long awaited by
the outside world
These are points which will be cleared I'D
by his will. document invested with a pc
culiar measure Of public interest and inn
portance. Lord Rowton never attempted to
play the predominant parts for which he
was equipped by ability and experience
Peerage Died With Him.
His peerage thus dies with him, but his
name will be long remembered in more So
cial grades than one as that of a polished
and kindly gentleman, cultured and refined
with winning manners. and a natural and
engaging tolerance. While his political and
social associations with Lord Beaconsfield
secured for Lord Rowton widespread at
tention. his name has been well known and
revered among a much wider circle by
reason of his scheme of "Rowton Houses"
which. tnaugurated in London, has been
successfully introduced in Liverpool and
other large centers of population.
The "Rowton Houses" have not inaptly
been termed poor mems hotels. They
are buildings erected on a plan formu-
lated by Lord Rowton for providing poor