The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-23
FRAIL COMMANDER
OF ARMY IS HERE
MISS EVA BOOTH WILL SPEAK
TONIGHT.
Head Of Vast Religious Force Says
Closing Sunday Saloons Will Not
Solve Drink Problem-Tilis Is Not
Her First Visit to Minneapolis, but
She Has Never Spoken Here.

Miss Eva Booth, commander Of the
Salvation Army in the United States
arrived in Minneapolis with her person
al staff. early today, and established
headquarters at the West hotel, where
she is the guest Of the management. To-
night she will address the local Saliva
tionists and the public at the Swedish
Mission Tabernacle. - X. ~. .
At first sight it is hard to believe that
that the frail and slender woman in the
simple uniform of the Army is the real
head OF an immense organization, which
reaches to every nook and corner Of the
country. A few minutes in her head
quarters is sufficient to show that she is
a commander in fact as we'll as in name
It does not need the ordered going and
coming, OF uniformed aides or the re-
port to her for orders to show this. Her
personality is that of leader.
She possesses a magnetism which
makes her every utterance command
to be .obeyed without question, and
shows how she has risen to a position
second only to that of her father, the
founder and general Of the order.
More Than a Commander.
Her magnetism mraks her for lead
er, but it is her womanhood and her
| sympathy which have won her the per-
sonal devotion Of every soldier under
her. 1t is not hard to understand after
few minutes in her presence how she
has won the hearts of the lowly and
gained the title of "The Angel Of the
! Slums.'
Miss Booth answered the questions
put to her about the work Of the Army
without revealing much Of her person
ality. It was only when she took the
lead in the conversation and told in her
own way the story of her work, that
she showed her real self, her spirit of
devotion, her love for her work and her
sympathy for the poor and sinful.
"Once we put our hand on people
we never let go. We see them thru and
carry them right up the ladder,' she
said. 'This is the reason why the
conversions we make are permanent. ]
do not find any great difference be-
tween slum conditions here and in Eng
land. Poverty brings the same sorrow
and the same sin in all countries. The
spirit of the American slums is, per.
haps, fercer, but that is no hindrance
to us. Our uniform is known and re.
spected everywhere and will admit ou1
workers to places no one else can 60.
Not First Visit Here.
"This is not my first visit to Min
neapolis, but tonight will be the first
time I have ever spoken here. I shall
speak on bridging the Gulf
$50 you have closed the Sunday sa
looms here. That is good, but it will
not solve the drink problem. The mai
who wants to drink will drink, and thu
only permanent reform is thru reachin,
the man. We will do all we can her
to help out in this work.
"We meet with no opposition from
! any sect. In fact, 1 am constantl,
obliged to refuse invitations to speal
in different churches forh want O.
: Commander Booth is accompanied b,
Coh1missioner George A. Kilbey
r Colonel Charles Miles, Mrs. Majo
: Stanyon, Staff Captain Griffeth an
=, Pearl, a pretty child Of about 6, VIII
/ has been reared and cared for by Mis-
: Booth ever since she was a baby
: weeks old. While all branches Of he
Y work are very dear. to the commander
e. it is easy to. see that above all he
y heart is with the work for children.
. The meeting tonight will be primar
k ly an. Army function and the Who'll
q force, of both corps will be there, bu
= the general public is also invited May
n or D. P. Jones will preside and wi
!, introduce Miss Booth