The Washington herald., 1908-06-14
FAVORITISM IN SERVICE
SECRET OF EFFICIENCY

OF much longer years OF service than
themselves.
In England we find Sir John French.
who was a mere major Of hussars at the
outset of the Boer war, to-day at the
head of the army. toward which he stands
much in the same position as Admiral
Sir John Fisher does toward the navy.
That is 10 say. he is inspector general
or the forces; general officer command
ing In chief. first class; the acting pres-
dent Of the board of selection and pro-
motion Of officers; and at the time OF his
appointment as inspector general il was
officially announced by the government
that in the event OF another big war the
supreme military command would be vest
ed I'm HIS hands. Indeed. the secretary OF
state for war added that in making the
nomination the government had been
"actuated by the idea that the generals
simo. in the event Of war. should be kept
in the closest touch with the army in
time Of peace, by service as Inspector
general"
Many Older Officers.
There are plenty OF officers in the Eng
fish army whose years OF service are su-
periOr TO those Of Sir John French. yet
who are still mere colonels. Most OF the
brigadier generals. major generals and
lieutenant generals entered the army long
before he received his first commission,
in 1874. and he is almost at the foot OF
the list OF generals on the active list.
Yet he has been promoted over the heads
of them all-over those Of Lord Kitch-
ener, Of Sir Archibald Hunter. of Lord
Methuen, and Of Sir Neville Lyttleton-
TO the post which is virtually that of
generalissimo Of the military forces Of
the British empire. OF course. charges
of favoritism have been freely brought
In connection with his appointment. II
has been asserted that he owes his pres
ent post 10 his conciliatory methods with
the government. and to his courtly defer
ence 70 the members Of the reignng
house, especially 10 the King and TO the
Prince OF Wales
But while II is perfectly true that Sir
John is courtly, and that he has managed
TO win in very marked degree the
friendship and good will both Of his SOW
ereign and Of the future King, IL is ride
ulous to attribute TO these circumstances
alone his extraordinarily rapid rise In his
profession. for he was almost an entire
stranger 10 the relgning family when he
won fame as n brilliant cavalry leader
and his advancement from major % that
OF lieutenant general during the Boer
war.
On the Russian Trip.
It may be worth while to call attention
TO the fact that both Sir John French
and Admiral Sir John Fisher accom-
panied King Edward during his trip 10
Russia last week. An attempt was made
in Parliament 10 silence Radical objec-
ton 10 the Kings journey 10 Reval by
the assertion that Il was a mere compl-
mentary visit. called for by the etiquette
OF courts. and devoid Of any political
significance whatsoever. But surely the
presence Of the de facto commanders-in-
chief OF the British navy and army would
seem TO indicate that something more
serious had prompted Edward VII TO
leave England at the very height OF the
London season TO sail for the farther
end Of the Baltic. and that the treaty
lately concluded between England and
Russia provides Tor joint military and
naval action In certain eventualities.
In Austria. Archduke Francis Ferdi-
nand. the heir presumptive to whom the
AAfA A<liHElOl mas utAtkdNtQ DIS active
duties as supreme commander Of the
army. got rid OF the veteran Gen Count
Beck at the close OF the grand army
maneuvers in 1906. after taking strong
exception TO the manner In which the op-
eratiOns were directed and executed. and
appointed I'm his stead 20 the Office Of
chief Of the general staT Lieut.. Gen. Won
Hetzendorf. with whom he had been in
timately associated for many years. but
who was at the time relatively unknown
10 the army and TO the people at large
The treatment OF old Count Beck and
the appointment Of Won Hotzendorf ex-
cited no end Of criticism. as well as the
usual charges Of favoritism. but the nom
ination has turned out extremely well.
and, according 20 expert opinion at Ber-
lin and in Paris. the change has been
distinctly for the better. and has had the
effect Of infusing new life and energy
into the general staff Of the Austrian
army.
Indignation Is Aroused.
1t was much the same thing when the
Kaiser. three years ago, appointed Lieut.
Gen. Helmuth Won Moltke in the place
Of old Gen. Count Schieffen to the Office
OF chief OF the general stan OF the Ger
man army; that is 10 say. to the Office
held by the great Field Marshal Count
Moltke from the time Of the war be-
tween Prussia and Austria. In 1866. until
his death. since the accession Of the pres
ent Emperor 20 the throne The n0mina-
ton aroused no end OF Indignation in the
army and IN the press, the newspapers, az
the risk Of punishment for lese majestic.
lnffmnTinp flnf TTalrafffh NTa1fEa
much too young for the post: that he
was devoid OF the necessary prestige and
experience. and that he was indebted for
his selection solely and entirely TO the
favor Of the Emperor, 10 whose household
he had been attached for a number Of
years. Here again the critics proved all
wrong. True. Helmuth Won Moltke (who
must not be confounded with his very
distant kinsman. Gen. Count Cuno Won
Moltke) was and remains a particular
favorite Of the Kaiser and Of the Kaiser
in, having been for so long a member OF
their immediate encourage, but he has
shown that he has inherited many OF the
qualities and military gifts OF his illus
trious uncle, the famous field marshal;
and the great annual maneuvers Of the
last two years have been characterized
by an originality and n scope unknown
under the administration OF the veteran
Count Schieffen. Indeed Helmuth Won
MOltke has borne himself so well In the
extremely difficult Office Of chief OF the
general STAFF. justly styled the brains and
the controlling power OF the German
army, that all criticism has been sllenced.
History. which Is so hard on the system
Of favoritism in politics, furnishes nhmer-
Gus and notable Illustrations OF the ad-
vantage Of its application in military and
naval matters. The great Napoleon paid
but little attention to considerations of