The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-06-07
FRANK e HOWE, Edltor and Pub,
Wednesday, June 7, 1915.
PASSING OF KITCHENER

Not since the opening of the great
war in Europe has the British nation re.
ceived such depressing news as the an
nouncement Of the death of Earl Kitch
ener. Great Britain has had her re-
verses which in some instances have
approached the magnitude of calaml- /
ties, such as the failure to open the
Dardanelles, the collapse of the expedi- |
ton into Mesopotamia and the fruit |
less ending OF the attempt TO save the |
Serbs from humiliation. Then, again |
more was expected of the navy in it's
first real trial of strength than was ac-
complished in the Jutland fight. Dis.
heartening as may have been the out.
come in these prominent features,
there were nevertheless compensations.
The attempt to force the Dardanelles,
the strike at the power OF the Turks
in Asia Minor and the landing OF allied
forces at Saloniki at least necesstated
opposition by the central powers and
the expenditure of resources and when
later details were received it was
known that The feet had acquitted IT,
self with honor in the clash off the
Skager Rak, But in the death of Kitch.
ener the predominatng personality
connected with the actual fighting force
Of Englands army passes. 1t has
| been largely due to his genius in or
ganization that Great Britain has been
able to put in the field something like
the number Of men her position in the
| struggle demanded And the work has
| been accomplished under conditions
such as would have discouraged any
other than a man who possessed not
only executive qualities but the endur-
ance and courage of Kitchener
| Earl Kitchener was appointed secre-
tary for war on August s, 1914, four
days after Great Britians declaration
of war on Germany. lie was regsl6si
Jas England's greatest soldier.
| AS the war progressed and Great
Britain's deficiencies in certain direc-
! tons, particularly in regard to short
age OF artillery ammunition, became
apparent, Earl Kitchener was subjected
to severe criticism, led by Lord
Northecliife, The secretary was
charged with responsibility for failure
to foresee the extraordinary demand for
heavy shells and as a result, the min
istry Of munitions was formed, with
David Lloyd George at it's head.
Notwithstanding the criticism direct.
ed against Earl Kitchener, his great ac-
complishments during the war are
recognized universally. Foremost OF
his achievements is the creation from
England's unframed manhood, of a
huge army. At the beginning of the
war, Great Britain had only few hun
dred thousand trained men. Today
more than 100000 men are enrolled
for the various branches of the service
All other great powers that entered
the war had huge standing armies and
compulsory military service. Great
Britain alone faced the issue with con
hdence that its people would readily
respond to the call of king and country
without compUlsion, and the PERCEPTION!
developments that led to the war fo,
both the people and the government
unanimous in the verdict that Kitch
ener OF Khartum was the man TO leat
in the recruiting and organization o
the necessary army.
1t is not sentimental clamor fol
though Kitchener was proved her,
of many campaigns, his personality wa
as impenetrable as hardened steel, ant
he was not hero that could be loved
Within a few hours after England
declaration of war. Kitchener was an
pointed secretary of state for war AM
Immediately took full charge at tn
war office where he worked day AM
night to overcome the handicap whicI
the Central Powers had over Englan,
in the matter of fighting strength.
He grimly told the British peopl
they had bigger war on their hand
than they realized, and one that nigh
last longer than they expected, but
was to be faced with entire confidence
After dispatohing a few hundre