New-York tribune., 1909-03-21
ENGLISH HEAVYWEIGHT
Mr.. HaLdane as Military Ref0rmer
and Talker.
London, March 10.

twenty stone or solid flesh as easily as a pump
baby plays with its dimples. He spends his va
cations and week-ends in wandering about the
country and making speeches about the terri
torial army; and If he mas a day to spare with
out political appointment or urgent official bust
ness he strolls down to Brighton from Westmin-
ster Bridge for exercise ard fresh air. As he
sits the front government bench with his
puffy face. massive frame end fat hands. ne
seems inert and somnolent: but when he rises
for debate he is wide awake. supremeIy energetic
and without a sign of human weakness. He can
speak for two hours without pausng for long
breath and so fresh is he when he breaks off
that it is evident that he talk all night, If
the House will only listen to him. Not one of
his ministerial associates has the staying power
requisite for sitting out one of his oratoricai
displays. and his critics the Opposition
benches fall out silently from sheer exhaustion,
that seasoned veteran, Sir Charles Dixie, hold
ing back witf> remarkable fortitude and finally
rushing out with painting breath. Mr.. Haldane
is tireess Napoleon, and he has the same
enthusiasm for work and confidence in his own
powers as an organizer. Behind the ceaseless
flow of words is an Inflexibe will regulated ny
invincibIe self-esteem
Mr. Haldane. who has reorganized the British
army more effectively than either Of his Con-
servative predecessors was a lawyer with
bent for metaphysical studies. He knew moth
ing about the army when he entered the War
Office but, like Mr. Root in Washington he had
a lawyers talent for mastering details 1t was
not long before he broke away from the marti-
nets and experts and devised comprehensive
system of his Yet he convinced all his in-
fuentIal advisers in the General staff. the Army
Council and the Committee of Defence that his
scheme of reconstruction was necessary and
scientific. As soon as he had the complex de-
tails of military organization at his fingers ends
his critics and advisers were at his mercy. He
could out-tsIk them at every point, and his
optimism was like roaring gale from the west
ern seas. sweeping everything before it. His
energy in explaining his plans in the Commons
and in recommending them to the country was
irresistible If he did not always convince OBJ
Jectors that his scheme Of national defence was
as economical as IL efficient. he siIenced
them. for they could not keep up with a self
complacent minister whose words never failed
During the last week the Secretary for War
has been under fire day after day, and has re-
PEELED every assault with inexhaustibe resource
While not orator. he is master Of the sub
ject has anticipated every criticism and knows
how 10 turn every argument against an duNtt-
sary He represents definite policy and has
thought it out in detail His first object has
been to provide the kingdom with effective
army for service overseas in an emergency. and
to systernatfze the arrangements for rapid
mobilization. How successful he has been will
not he known until there is a foreign a
catastrophe in India or the empire; but from his
own mastery exposition Of the improved meth
DDS Of business organization 1t is clear that men.
horses ammunition supplies and equipment will
he ready for service at short notice. and that
the army viii he raised from peace to war
footing with little confusion and delay His
second object has been the creation OF a terri
toriaI force for home defence. and from the fig
ures given by him it is evident that the nation
is apable Of protecting itself against invasion
from any quarter. Not only is the regular army
a better striking force than il has been. with a
special reserve equal already to the oldtme
militia and likely with the improvement in re-
cruting soon 10 excel II in strength and eff
ciencv but the territorial forces exceed two
hundred and forty thousand in strength and are
only a fifth behind the proposed establishment.
His predecessors were only able TO recruit on
paper their armies for the defence OF the empire
and OF the nation. Mr.. Hsldane is actually
filling out the quotas for both forces. and is
confident that both armies can be recruited
without compulsory service.
Labor members and Radical faddists have
taunted the interchangeable War Secretary with
depending upon the assistance of half-penny
journals and large employers of labor. He has
not wasted his breath in defending modern
methods of recruiting. but has scornfully replied
that the men had TO be found. and that il was
better to obtain them with the help Of newspa-
pers and employers than not to get them at all
Waving both arms toward the Radical benches
he has shouted: THE nation never nearer
TO conscription than when / came along" He
has proudly proclaimed himself the champion OF
the voluntary principle for Doth armies and has
asserted that the reorganized system is a bull
,yark against compulsory service stronger than
has ever before existed in the kingdom. This
has been more effective reply than his con-
tsntion that he has materially reduced the cost
If military armaments He began by cutting
down the budget OF the War Office by million
sterling but the petty saving effected for the
coming year has involved additional contri- !
button Of f390.OoO from India-a measure OF
economy described ny Sir Charles Dixie "a
mean and contemplate transaction" 1t is as
a champion Of efficiency rather than of economy
that Mr. Haldane is making great reputation
at the War Office. What Liberals and Inde-
rcndents described during the last general cleo
ton as ''boated ornaments and Oppressive
burdens of militarism' have not been materially
Probably no other member Of the government
has talked so necessarily as Mr.. Haldane during |
the last three years. Yet he Is apparently
little the for it as the emptiest social rat
tie with compliment box in London drawing /,
room He carries his twenty stone lightly into /
and out Of the War Office and the House OF
Commons. and is in the pink of condition when |
Mr.. George Wyndham directs the Unionst