El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-27
WARRIOR
OLD CEN. HALO
British Commander at the
Front a Student and a
Practical Man.

British Headquarters, France luna
27.-No military leader is more averss
to publicity or works more silently,
than Sir Douglas Haig, the British com
mander-in-chief in France. To t,oss
who are importunste for the offensive
his answer is patience and vet arafn
patience while the new munition fac
tories begin to produce and he con-
tinues his building His generals say
that he never tells them his plans. only
what they are TO do
Probably not one man out Of ten OF
the million or more under his command
would recognize him II thew saw him
Not given to reviews or any kind Of
display. this quiet and studious Scots
man was the choice of the progressive.
practical driving element of the army
as the one fit by equipment. training
and experience to succeed Sir Jobn
French At fifty-five he is nine years
younger than Sir John and ten years
younger than Joffre or Won linden
burg.
He went through oxford with distinc-
ton before he entered the military
school at Sandhurst No sooner had
he received his commission. later in
life than most officers because Of the
time that he had spent at Oxford. than
he set out with the thOroughness Of
the student to master every branch Of
his profession
studies EurOpe's Armies.
1T was in Berlin in the nineties that
met a Captain Haig-whO was study
ing German and the German army"
said an Englishman. I was struck BY
his industry-not a brilliant man. per
haps, but a sound and well-balanced
one. A little hesitant Of speech. what
he did say went to the heart of things"
He studied the French army, too. and
the history Of all campaigns with the
systematic thOroughness that he ap-
piled TO everything It was the same
with his pastimes as his profession.
Whether he had talent for IL or not
he made himself a first class golf
player. though the form which he de-
veioped did not excite the envy Of pro
fessionals-
Going out in command Of the First
Army OF the British ExpeditiOnary
Force. Sir Douglas had seventeen
months Xperience.-Mons Tpress and
Ioos-of the warfare Of the western
front. which all agree Is the toughest
school any soldier has ever known
There was no doubt who commanded
the first army. II was Haig. He was
no figurehead for the work Of an able
chief Of staff. London gossip did not
handy his name about; he was not 2
personality to the public, though he
was to the army
The Man For The Place.
When anyone asked at the front who
was the best man to take Sir Johns
place the answer was almost invari-
ably; -Haig." He had not captured the
army's imagination. but its reason
The tribute was one to brains.
a wisp Of a flag and two sentries
designate the entrance 10 the chateau,
smaller than that occupied by many
division generals, which is the head
quarters of the commander in chief
Anyone who expects TO be ushered into
offices with aides viii be disappointed
No place could be farther removed from
in the army zone
The only occupants of the chateau F.,
beside Sir Douglas are his private sec .
rotary and his aides. all officers who T
have been wounded and are not fit FOR
the physical exposure OF the trenches
In other words, If a youngster wishes b
TO become an aide. he must have fought F..
and then have the decision Of a doctor
that he can not stand living in cellar
like dug-outs.
PunetuaI With ENGAGEMENTS.
The hour OF any appointment is ex- .
act 10 the minute. and whoever has r
Dne at this chateau is expected to be
there on the minute. There IS little &
ceremony Life at that small chateau .
has a real soldierly simplicity At .
luncheon the soldier servant places the !
food on the sideboard and everyone !
lakes his plate and helps himself Few
quests come. Sir Douglas keeps his
lime to himself for his work and his
Dwn choice Of recreation
One Of the aides receives the caller,
and q minute later the man with iron
grey hair and moustache. sturdy, ath-
etc Of build, slightly above medium
.eight. who comes into the hall could
lot be mistaken. whether in or out Of
inform. or anything but a soldier
hough something about the well
,hiseled regular features also suggest
he scholar.
Maps Are Everywhere.
In one of the rooms Of the ground
1oor the walls are hung with maps,
including a series which have been
.rOwded on a roller Any portion Of
he front in all its details may be re-
erred to in a moment In the center
II the room is A desk. and against the
vail a table with more maps and draw
ngs and some OF those strange photo
-raphs from aeroplanes Of greyish
ines Of trench systems in dusky field
Il shell and mine craters which makes
me think Of the dead world Of the
noon. Out OF doors is a field OF
.aisies, birds singing a typical sunny
lay in northern France
From this retreat a vast army is be-
ng trained and its organization COM
leted and directed in the day oy day
ug-of-war: or t'the chief commands
n army still in the making. The staff
Ulcers always refer to him as the
hief." There is something imeprsonal
bout II and yet personal: for he is
bsolutely the chief There is no sug-
estion of any commission system IN
he command OF the British army these
avs.
Sleeps Long Hours.
Like Gen. Joffre he sleeps long
ours A rested mind is a clear mind
lr responsibilities Like Won linden
urg. he never reads fiction When
eading has not to do with his profess
ion. he reads serious books and month";
IS and quarterlies. Even during the
attic Of YDres when it was touch and
o with disaster he slept as sOundly as
offre during the battle Of the Marne-
At a crisis in the retreat from Mons
e remarked as quietly as II he were
living a direction to an aide:
we shall have to hold on here for
while If we all die for it"
Has Soldiers Logic.
The impression he leaves on a caller
that of a leader without illusions. a |
lldier who sees with a soldiers logic:
no is not afraid to be patient
IN your civil war" he said. 1T was
case Of raising armies of unframed I
len TO fight armies of unframed men. .