New-York tribune., 1910-10-02
Copyright. 1910, sy ceorg, u. smausyo

I check in this country upon reToiutob-
are legislation. They acquiesced M MI
Asouith's surrender TO Mr.. Redmond
and his declaration for Home Rule l
offer no criticism on any of these per
formances. 7 only chronicle them. and
only do that because they explain,
and nothing else can explain. the change
in Mr.. HaIdanes political position
With his soft manner and smooth
voice and philosophical turn Of mind
Mr.. Haldane may not impress you as
! man designed by Providence to destroy
m army and then TO create and govern
another But there have been such men
before now, and it is not a matter on
which a civilians opinion is of prime
importance The soldiers say-or some Of
them say-he has handled the technical
part Of the business in 2 very competent
way. Perhaps il is too soon to be quite
sure. The German staff are reported
to be pleased with Mr. Haldane's
scheme. but their pleasure is an eGuivo-
cal eulogy. The German Emperor in
vite6 M Haldane TO be present at the
great manRuvres Of last autumn and
paid the English War Minister comph-
/ ments. the precise value OF which seems.
tor the same reason. doubtful. We are
/ assured that the Commiytee OF Imperial
/ Defence. with its worldwide authority.
: is satisfied that Nr. Haldane has done
! what Is possible. But Lord Esher. him
self j permanent member OF the great
Army Council. has lately said that. to
put Nj. HaIdane's. Territorials into
working order. sixty thousand recruits
must come in yearly. and that no such
number can Toe had
There is. however. one English soldier
not Q member Of that committee, but
excluded from it, whose opinion would
probably go further with the English
public than al others mean Lord
Kitchener But Lord Kitchener does
not take the public into his confidence.
I met Mr.. Haldane at a party in Lon
don some two years age. You DO not
expect much serious discussion IN a
thrcng or that kind. bUt Nr. Haldane
made remark which led me to say
should like to ask him one question.
What Is it2"
II should like 70 know how it is that
an army Is 70 be made better by abol-
ishing some Of the best battaHons in it"
Just then lady came toward US to
whom Nr. HaIdsne wished 70 speak. and
my question was left unanswered. We
viii discuss II some other time said Mr..
Haldane But that other time has not
vat arrived 7 asked the question be
cause had friend or Two in the bat
II
Battalion Of the Scots Guards vas
one It was admittedly one Of the finest
in tle service. a little later I dined at
the mess Of the officers cr guard duty
II St James-S Palace. t was a dinner
of eight. including two CiviIIans-the
other a man well known about the court
and formerly Private Secretary to Lord
SALISBURY. From beginning to end not
one Of the officers said d word about
their impending fate. Where else could
this reserve have been kept What
made their silence the more renarka bic .
vas the fact that they all knew. though
nv civilian friend and Z did not know.
that the battalion had received orders 10
report at Buckingham Palace next
morning. there 70 he mustered out by
the late King 1t was. in fact, mus
tered out on that Saturday morning
The late King undertook this duty as
the highest compliment he could pay the
battalion. When they surrendered their
ccIors ne received them. saying they
should be safely kept tin they could
again be delivered into the care Of
battalion which had carried them IL
ways with distinction. Every soldier
was grateful TO the King for those
words, Sis phrase was understood to
mean that he hoped and expected the
battalion would presently be called into
being once more. Whether Mr.. Haldane
was grateful DO not know. The crit
icism was obvious. The King was com
mander in chief Of the army, and he
clearly meant to signify his disapproyal
Of the dissolution Of the battalion.
In private life Mr.. Haldane used TO be
known not only for agreeable and brill
liant qualities. but for an independence
OF opinion and life rare IL this country.
The opinion OF the multitude was not
his. Even in such matters as dress he
showed himself careless Of custom He
wore the same clothes summer and win
Ter. There was d period during when
he never wore an oyerCOaL- But the last
tine I met him Of . Sunday afternoon
he had on the kind Of outer garment
here known as Chesterfield. which he
had not laid aside before coming up to
the drawing room. as If he delighted in
passinE from one extreme TO another,
and so stiu keeping up kind Of protest
AGAINST the tyranny Of custom Whether
this nutinous spirit had anything to 90
with his project Of army reconstruction
must be left for others TO say.
G. w. S.
ROOSEVELT HARVARD LECTURER