The Washington times., 1916-09-10
SIR DOUGLAS HA|C IS
MAN OF FEW WORDS
His Speech Is Terse and Used
Sparingly, Like His Reports
on Battle.

LONDON. Aug. 20. tby maiD-Am-
orleans who read the terse. sparingly
worded British official communicates
from northern France are unconsci-
ously reading the character OF the
man who writes them.
He Is Sir Douglas Haig, comma nder-
-in-chief-of all the six British armies
opposed to the Germans on the west
ern front.
Haig's communicates waste no
words. Neither does Haig. He Is
known from one end OF the British
line to the other as potent force
The orders that go forth to the firing
line from Haig's headquarters are
Staff officers whose duty 1t is to ex-
ecute these orders catch the spirit
and do SO In the briefest possible
time.
In a modest looking French dwell
Ing house. still occupied In part by
the family who owns II. the British
commander-i in chief and his staff
make these brief British communi-
ques by persistent hard work.
Is q Scotchman.
The head OF the British armies in
France Is Scotchman. He halls
from the county OF Fife, where. like
men of other British counties. the in
habitants are possessed of certain
characteristics.
Filters characteristics. according to
best tradition. are frankness and pa
thence. imperturbability to the extent
Of being oblivious to external pros
sure and a persistence that lends SUI
preme concentration on the subject
in view. Fifeshire is the home Of
a Fifer.
Sir Douglas Haig has taken &c
northern France all the characters
tics of the Fifer and applied them
to war, according to those around
the firing line doesn't affect the
work OF the men at the general head
quarters.
Whether II Is a retreat or an advance,
the commander-in-chief takes his seat at
the breakfast table at precisely the same
moment each morning. There. surround
ed by stan officers. he discusses latest
developments, receives and considers new
Ideas. and conducts round-table STAN
meeting. where many details OF the days
routine are mapped out
or two officers. he is OF for bride
Jaunt. and then settles down in a little
private room to real hard work.
Spends Hours Over Maps.
To the distant rumble Of the guns and
the clatter OF playing children In the
yard below. the British commander
spends hours over maps, sticking pins
here and there. placing the positions as,
he would have them altered.
:. Telephones in an ante-room ceaseless-
lessly Jingle with reports from the va
rious divisional commanders and stan
officers.
Every detail OF the days position is
studied thoroughly in characteristic Fifer
fashion. Then when he Is ready he is
sues his brief communicates or forceful
orders that go either to the outside world
or to the firing line.
Along with Haigs fifty-four years, he
is the handsome type OF man. His tall.
erect figure has a distinguished bearing.
His movements give the impression that
he Is alert. His blue eyes. set at medium
depth. denote force. His delicately CHS
eled features end in slightly protruding
chin. which shows all that persistence
known especially to the Scottish coun-
try. from which II came.
When Haig talks. his closest intimates
say. he talks into the inner vitals OF his
subject. He shows his interest by a pc
culiar gesture Of the hands. He Is never
But he concentrates,
his friends say. on conversation. just as
he concentrates on war. He goes to the
point without wasting words.