Evening star., 1915-02-02

building in which the telephone was
located and posted guards about it to
see that no one approached. He had
no right to command the police to do
commanded them. and they oDeyed. The
cabinet has told all that is known
about the talk.
II will accept only on two condi-
tions." said he. My will must be su-
preme. You may not even question it.
And l will serve only for three years.
! Those terms were accepted. If the
government felt like refusing them
which isn't 1ikely-their hand was
| forced. There was no other man in
\ England to do what Kitchener would
be called on to do. He had to build an
army and clean out war Office stimuli
itaneously. He has done both. AS fast
as one man can cut the red tape that
tied the war office he has cut it. He
has been on the job all the time.
Sleeps With His Job.
where is my bedchamber"' kitch-
ener asked when he walked into his
suite of Offices at Whitehall. The ques-
tion was shocking. No one could re-
member that there ever had been a
bedchamber there. The logical deduc-
ton was that there never could be.
There is no bedchamber," they told
him.
There will be-" said he, by o'clock
tonight. See to it
1t was seen to. He has n distressing
way of getting down to brass tacks in
doing business. There was parlia-
mentary inquiry into certain failures
to feed and clothe the new recruits
for while parliament is obedient it is
not muzzled. The fact was shown that
acquisitions for necessary supplies
were shuffied through a dozen hands
hef /
that Kitchener had known of the delay
or the cause. He is not omnisclent. He
got reports by telephone of the revc-
lations. Before the clamoring on the
floor had ended Kitchener had sent
telegram to every officer in command
at recruiting station.
Ordered Officers to Buy.
Buy what supplies you need and
send me the BILL" was the purport of
this telegram. Never mind previous
rules Get the stuff. I'll get you if you
don't"
There was one promising little scan
dal that went by-by right away kitch-
ener isn't extravagant in his use OF
government money--in one of his Su-
dan campaigns he offered to do for
100000 what another soldier had
estimated would cost f3,500.00O, and
then he turned back good deal of the
money-but just now he is not count
ing the cost. He is too busy to fyspeck
cost sheets with audit marks His sub
ordinates are told to buy cheap when
they can spare time-but that hours
are worth any premium. Once in South
Africa his engineers were trying to
throw a bridge across a river, under
heavy fire.
Saved the Hour.
You are Slow said Kitchener.
The engineer in command said that
was true. But he was protecting his
men. He could save an hours time
by another method. but it might cost
fifty lives.
turning away. we can spare men
better than we can spare time.
1t recalls more recent story. A
manufacturer of khaki called at the
war Office to ask for commission.
In time he was ushered into kitch-
by the door.
ANY military eSperience?' asked
Kitchener.
The panufacturer said he had been
an officer of territorials, and this and
that.
What's your business" asked
Kitchener.
The manufacturer said he made
khaki.
"Have you any government con-
tracts" asked Kitchener.
More Valuable at Home.
The manufacturer swelled with mod
est pride. He said he had several con-
tracts-good contracts-which would
keen his mills busy for months. Kitch-
eners head dropped down again over
Stn
no, sneak. He Just jerked his thumb
at the door, The officer in attendance
took The manufacturer out. That sort
of man is more valuable at home Just
now than in the field.
Kitchener's estimate when the war
began was that it would last three
Years A recent incident seems to snow
that he has not changed his mind a
manufacturer of certain SoooS was
asked if he could not largely increase
his output
Not without doubling the capacity
of NV plant. said he. Il cannot af.
ford to do that unless l am assured OF
al least three years business.
Go ahead and double" said kitch-
ener you'll get the business
His past history is an open book.
His ouarrels with slack and inefficient
administrators at home and abroad
are known. That his achieNeinen! ~
raising new army at home and in
feeding the old army in the field is OF
The highest order is admitted. Where
Kitchener has incurred the most pit
ter criticism is i'll his management Oh
the press He is an absolute autocrat.
He has made a joke out oil that iree-
don, of the press of which Angio-SaX-
ons have boaSted-with this exception.
Control of the Press.
Kitchener hasn't cared what editors
have said about him. But they must
not print tabooed news. The English
papers - especially the Harms"orth
sroup in London-have attacked the
military censorship with great bitter
ness. Nothing has been said on the
American side of half the edge and
weight OF venom that is being said al
most daily in England. Kitchener doesn't
care He is oblivious to public OPINION.
Here's a story that proves IT:
IL was charged against him in South
Africa that he had ordered his troopers
10 ride into the tan grass and bring out
the wounded natives on their lances.
That was almost inhuman, OF course
A great rowdydow was raised about IL.
The papers shrieked over IT, There was
a parliamentary inquiry. Kitchener oidn
say word He didn't deny. or explain.
Finally some one got to him ana de-
manded that he speak.
Hamstrung Horses.
"Damn them" said Kitchener. slowly.
His red face turned redder. His angry
eyes turned slowly upon the questioner,