The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Roberts Of KanJnhar.

Hsarjcd question why IL should be, why
the captains shout why the men go
gladly to the brutal enjoyment "
death To him who brings home TIE
spolia opima from the stricken field is
the need of popular glory. the tri-
umphal procession along the streets
wnere even the widows forget their
widow weeds and where mothers see
corpse sons transfigurcd into glory. The
tale lengthens throughout the ages. the
story of the ages " darkness recurring
into the ages Of light and darkeninH.
In these newly troubled days We have
the ultima ratio I, gum become with
new yigor the last resort o. peoples
whose kings ar, merely nominal
Through the clouds OF war ii may seem
that the last place in which to seek
the reasons % war should I've in tho
memorials uf the warrior, yet probably
our best sourc for this study a In the
lives OF thcse whose profession u war.
To them is no Illusion. thtr bitter
trade obscures I'o chapter ot death IN
popular pldudit. they are the men vino
take their lives in hnnd and spend them
at the word ~ statecr1f which Cvides
the field ~ blood tt warriors view
Of war should prove mos. Illuminating,
It has the ftinguess of survival
In that aspect thc'e is much TO en-
gage the attention I'm tho work Of Sir
GEORGE FoRRESr as an 'ntcrpr ta,ion OF
war problems through the LTc of
Iord Roberts, n. O.. 4. e. H'rcdcr.cE
A. Stokes Company Here was England's
great captain Of yesterday. one WHO has
but lust died at the front vet not under
arms lie was so close to the events
which now are working themselves out
20 their appointed end that his opinions
have the merit Of timclncss. they bear
wholly upon the present. In this work
IL the history of "A solder the son OF
n soldier and the father " a soldier.
there is the record ~ the campaigns
OF twoscure years IN India and AZ
ghauistan and the command in chief
which has given Great Britain Yet an
other OF its constitutional. units. the
Union Of South Africa. " is a story of
peril and danger OF march and field, Of
bravery and loss an Othcllo story To
hold such az Ind thrill in charges
and onfalls where individual killing
might be held rcpulsive for it Is a con-
vention that what is in detail murder
becomes in gross heroism and patriotic
devotion.
Through the labyrinth Of the growth
Of professional soldier We may ind a
clue in the knowledge that Lord Roberts
set before him, presented to beginners
at war. as his beau ideal of the man at
arms the American Stonewall Jackson.
That clears the reading Of his character
Of all suspicion Of the condottero type
OF soldier by profession. II makes IL
clear that his conception Of war was as
a pious duty that the man owed to the
land Of his birth II shows that his
tactics and his strategy were but the eX-
pressions Of a mans highest devotion.
IT is fortunate that this biographer OF
the great soldier is a man Of peace. As
civilian he refrains from tracing out
IN campaign and march the principles
OF the art OF war, the methods OF the
profession Of arms. Forests concern is
rather to give us to comprehend what
was this commanders attitude tOwart
the war in which his life was spent.
Two of these themes we shall note in
partlcular-they have interest in them
selves and they are not without appl-
cation to the conditions and circum-
stances in which we find ourselves in
peace
Tt is in no had sense that we speak OF
Roberts as the professional soldier. II
the thing is to he done at all we need
the specialists in the doing. for the
sooner it is ended the better for all con-
cerned and the end is quickest for those
who have been trained in the doing In
the conditions now but just disrupted
Great Britain had a nucleus Of a regu-
lar army recruited voluntarily from
the element Of its population to whom
barraCl and campaign life proved at
tractive. To officer this army it had
another set Of men to whom the army
presented career one attractive for n
few years IN youth. always offering
sufficient reward to attract some 20
continue through the profession to the
retiring age. This army being larger in
fits ratio to the population in Great
Britain the commissions were more nu-
merous than with us. and there was
found a public sentiment which made a
few years with the colors n normal part
OF young life in the families Of social
position. Thus there went into the
army without Conscription the common
division of English social life: squire
and hind took on no new relation when
they were clad in uniform. In the In
dian army a similar relation existed
when all due allowances were made. In
thc old civilization Of the peninsula
fighting was a profession. a caste: and
The devotion of the sikh. the Pathan
the Gurllha 10 his English officer and
20 the empire which he represents falls
in 10 sense below the cnntented subor.
dination Of the English soldier In tn,
home regiments. The quality Of leader.
ship Is 50 much the same that we find Il
possible for Roberts to pass from life
time spent IN Indian command To thu
same cordial regard and ready obedience
of imperial forces, British and colonial
in the Boer war. He knew the soldie
type did BObs." ana the soldier knew
tn him the commander. whether his pc
name in the British ranks was "ittl'
Bohs" or "Bobs bahadur' in the Indiar
line. In cantonment and Oh the marcf
his men knew that they might he a
ease because their General had them il
his keeping. and when the fight heEar
there was the same confidence that tn,
man who would lead them into connic
felt sure that he could lead then
through II to a victory.
II war can at all he considered idyll'
that was the condition OF the Britis
national defences through many years