The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-10-30
CITY CENTRAL COMMITTEE

at their mess. l will be very grateful.
The emperor laughed.
"Of course it shall be as you wish,
general" he said And from that day
on the chief ate with his men.
The officers mess Is at a requisi-
toned hotel abou.. two squares distant
from staff headquarters. Lunch is
served at 1880 D. m. Precisely at 1.26
the general appears at the door OF
headquarters and sets off briskly apar.
towards the hotel This is large part
OF his daily portion of physical exer-
else. At 1924 by the clock he en-
tiers the mess hall, shakes few hands
rapidly. if there are any new members
OF the mess, walks to the far end of
the room and sits down. His officers
follow suit The trooper-waiters are
waiting with the first dish and the
meal begins.
There is. for example, an omelette,
a roast, salad, q. sweet and coffee with
the light Grim can table wine If desired
else milk, kvass, the national non-al-
coholic drink, tea or water.
The meal lasts on an average thirty
five minutes. Today General Pau, the
famous French general, was guest of
the mess and fifty minutes were allow
ed. Tomorrow, very probably, lunch
will be Gu. to thirty minutes 30 General
Alexien can regain some Of his pre-
cious seconds.
Just as the generals sitting is the
signal for the lunch to begin, his rising
is the signal for it to end. Many a
young ofncer, inclined to talk and
linger over his coffee, is to be seen
pushing back his chair and rising,
drinking at gulp his neglected bev-
erage while on the rise. There is no
fooling around, no lettering. In three
minutes the hall is empty Of all save
the walters clearing of the tables and
the officers have gone back to their
duties, General Alexiefi leading the
band.
His program is hardly more varied
than that of the director Of great rail-
way system working in an office In
New York or Chicago. He simply
works harder, that is all. He rises
about o'clock, breakfasts American
fashion and goes at once to his office
in the staff headquarters building, next
door to the emperor's quarters. He re-
mains at his desk until the car ar
rives around 10 o'clock, when he
makes his report. confers with the i'm
perial commander-in.chief, gets his in
structions and sends his dispatches.
BY this time it Is lunch hour.
After lunch more once work. At
G O'Clock there may, or may not, be a
military council of himself and visiting
generals from the various sectors OF
the firing line. But at 1880 o'clock he
has his dinner, again at the mess. Az.
ter dinner he continues to work out
the details Of maneuvering an army in
the field. He gets to bed Haze and man
ages with about seven hours sleep. He
is good sleeper and drops of as soon
as his head hits the pillow on his
folding campbell
The generals hair is white around
the temples. sparse on top Of his head,
and gray. He is typical Russian
type. nose somewhat turned up, gray
eyes and steady in their glitter. He
wears silver spectacles which loop
over the ears. His white mustaches
are rather long and outstanding, with
a tendency to turn up at the ends. On
the tunic Of his khaki uniform he
wears only two decorations, one being
the white Cross OF 81. George, awarded
for conspicuous bravery IN action. the
other the red Cross Of Vladimir.
Officers and soldiers here hold Gen
eral Alexieff In great esteem, both per
sonalfy and Professionally.