Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-22
TACITURN LEADERS
DIRECT OPERATIONS
OF BRITISH FORCES
Kitchener, French and
Douglas Are Too Silent
and Reserved to be Popu-
lar Idols.
BY P. NJ. SARLE

LONDON, Sept, 22.--A striking point
about the mon who arc In command or
England's armies during the present war
is that the majority Of them are of the
silent and unpopular" type. Not per-
sonally unpopular, of course, but not OF
popularity seekers. They are all "kitch-
eners men" and Kitchener does not ap-
prove of advertisement or Earrulity, IN.
of X" himself is calculating machine
and pays not the slightest attention to
popular approval or disapproval. Where
another man would explain a temporarily
unpopular scheme, Kitchener disdains to
do so and pursues the even tenor of his
way without RECORD for anybody's feel
ings or any consideration He Is not
loved, but he is respected by everybody,
and his appointment to the War Secre-
taryshlp was hailed with q general sigh
of relief.
Even his machine-like mailed fist ar
rangements for the military part Of King
Georges coronation only made people
SAY Curse the brute, he might be deal
ing with Russians" but 1t didn't stop
them admlring him. They appreciated
the fact that he was merely making
thorough job of II, and that for business
purposes, spectators had no rights at ALL
FRENCH NOT GENIAL
Field Marshal Sir John D. P. French
commander in chief of the British eXpe-
dictionary force, is another quiet man.
Sometimes the public processes a real at
lection for "Jack' French. but always
wishes he would show a little of the
geniality OF "Bobs' earl Roberts. the
late Generals Butler and "Back-achor"
Gatacre. When crowds waiting outside
the War Office chcered hin. French
looked surprised and ANNOYED. Cheers
had no part in his thoughts, and he
Eiared at his admirers IN a manner that
suggested he was considering the advis-
ability Of calling a squadron OF cavalry
20 clear the streets.
1t was as cavalry leader that French
made his name, though he was originally
destined for the navy. in watch service
he remained four years, His exploits in
the Egyptian and South African wars
marked him out as perhaps the most
dashing cavalry leader In Europe, Prac-
tically the last man out Of Ladvsmirh
before the Beers bottled up the late Sir
George White. French got most Of his
cavalry division away, realizing that
mounted men were of no Use IN a be-
sieged town, and Il was he alone who
stemmed the tide of the British disaster
after the "blaCk week" of December,
1899.
Gataere's defeat at stormberg would
have been an absVlute Dout hut for
French's cavalry, and while every Brit
ish general was losing hard-earned repu-
tations French was serenely dashing
along the orange Free State frontier,
checking pursuers and raiders and gem
orally giving the enemy cause 10 think
furiouslv." He gained for the British
troops breathing space while Roberts
was getting his army into shane, and
his brilliant dash eliminating l1 the pee
lief OF Kinber's marked the turning
point Of the war.
DOUGLAS A DOCR SCOT.
French's cavalry L was who rounded up
Croujs at Paardeberg. enabling Kitch-
snsr 10 bring up his guns and infantry
10 smash the BoeT general, and It was
French who rushed his advance guards
into BloemfDntein Pretoria and Barber
ton before the Boers We're aware Of his
proximity, In the big sweeping up"
scheme by which Kitchener ended the
u y
appeared 10 be everywhere at once A
small. taciturn man with bullet head,
he Is frequently passed unrecognizod by
would-b be admirers. He resigned the post
OF Chief Of the Imperial General Staff
as the result Of the famous "G0ush
Memorandum" during tho Ulster crisis
but at the request Of King George he
took over his former job NJ Inspector
general at the outbreak OF the war.
General Sir Charles W n. Douglas
Chief OF the Imperial General stan, is lit
lie known 10 the public. A dour Scotch
soldier. he participated In Roberts ia
nous march TO Candahar. and served
with distinction I'm India, Egypt and
South Africa. In the last Boer war he
was on the star and SO did little OF the
SNOWY work. but his list OF mentioned in
dispatches" rarely has been eXcelled.
Douglas would be nightly astonished II
ANYBODY cheered him, and he would prob
ably consider II an impeTtlnence. Any
way his is not one OF the faces that dec
orate picture postcards and not one In
thousand would rscsgplzs Ais photo ",
khsy sTsE saw is ~