The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-07

IL - uouhIIul Wnptner Ioru MICH
ENER's place can he filled 10y any
living Englishman. While his task
Of organizing the greatest volunteer
army the world had ever seen was
practically finished. he died nj a time
when the Central Powers had lost
none of the territory they had won in
the field and when tho end Of the war
was beyond human calculation. lie
was the genius of efficiency. and his
advice was invaluable. His prestige
was such that ut any council table in
Europe he was a commanding figure.
When the history Of the war is writ
ten II will probably he found that he
had more "a. do with consolidating the
military resources Of the Allies and
~effecting cooperation between their
armies On the various fronts than any
other man. His talents were indis-
pensable 10 England and the common
cause. He was still in the prime of
his mental powers when he passed
from the scene.
But Lord KITCHENER was also n
great moral force among his country
@ Their faith in him was ahso-
lutte. A strong. silent man. whose
career had been one Of uniform sue
cess before the great war, they looked
to him as the one man In the empire
who could organize victory. In spite
of his detachment and %austerity Of
manner he became the popular hero.
II was KITCHESrR's army. not the
Kings. that was being raised 10 save
the empire.
The recruiting sergeant conjured
with KrTCHENER's name. II stared
from posters all over the kingdom.
When, n non-rarty man. he took office
as Secretary Of State for War. there
was no dissenting voice, although men
the soldier who completed the con.
quest Of the Beers with his checker.
board campaign and tho capable com
mander in chief for seven years in
India might he Of more service to
the Allies AZ the head Of n great army
in France. Perhaps he himself would
have preferred the field To n desk in
the War Office. The Gallipoli cam
paign would have suited his genius
as a soldier more than trench fight
ing on the Continent, and It will al.
ways he debated whether he would
not have succeeded where the brave
hut mercurial HAMILTON failed.
What n glorious ending 70 HITCH
ENER's career the capture of Constan-
tinople would have been, But fate
decreed that he should raise and train
volunteers for the ordeal Of modern
warfare and see them die by reci.
g on Turkish soil because their
inexperienced officers did not know
how 10 lead them. Suvla Bay could
not have surprised KITCHENER. He
never had an illusion about the diff.
ference between territorials or volun-
teers and regulars. So II must he
evident that when the bitter end came
there was still work for the great
organizer to do.
on paper England had an army of
5.OOO.OOO men, but for the most part
II was raw material. II lacked efficient
officers. and Its equipment left much
tn he desired. And KIrCHENER's in
~Spirntion and example, England can
i'll spare him, He was n man among
men always brave, calm. s%toical. re-
%sourceful, confident; a born leader.
a tower Of strength. Armies can he
replaced It matters little that battle
ships are sunk but to lose the organ
izer of victory, as England fondly he
lieved him TO he, that was n cruel
blow Of fate.
Lord KITCHENER was not infalliblc.
and criticism has Of late made him
a shining mark, whether Justly or not
we cannot know now. But ne was n
brilliant and interchangeable servant Of
the Crown for forty-fve years crowded
with toilsome work and achievement,
an empire builder as well ms n soldier.
a diplomat and administrator. His
name will be inscribed on the roll of
England's great and eminent men.