The sun., 1916-12-23
LORD NORTHCLIFFE'S
WAR EXPERIENCES
"At the War" Is q Thrilling
Narrative Which Gives
Vivid Pictures.
COMMANDERS DESCRIBED
"The Army Behind the Army"
Changes in Mems Habits
and Thoughts.

Lord Northcline, owner or the LOndon
Daily Mail and the Times, Of more news
papers and magazines than any other
man In the world. who In this war has
been the greatest outstanding figure in
moulding British public opinion. wanted
to find out about the war for himself. 80
he went down into the trenches. dodSed
shells and flying shrapnel explored all
the ramifcatlons of military machinery
on three fronts. and out OF his many sx.
periences and observations has produced
n book.
AT tho War" (Doran) is really .
collection OF his articles written for his
own papers from time to time as he
paused long enough behind tho battle
lines to jot down what he had seen and
what he thought Of It. Some OF them
taken altogether they form an extremely
thrilling narrative, which gives a Vivid
Impression OF the magnitude and ef-
1ciency OF the allied operations.
And only eecond to this impression is
that of the energy and cesseiess activity
Of this man, who braveh the wrath Of the
British people by critlCising Kitchener
and proving himself right, as he wan
dered from bases tn headquarters,
through parks of laundering batteries.
into trenches where men crouchcd from
the blasting force of big shells. and dug
outs where surgeons worked in the htful
light of flares. that he might form his
impressions AT first hand and speak with
the voice of authority.
To see what he saw OF the working Of
the great allied armies he had to incur
narSnntl
quenty under fire aud his only mention
of 1t In his book is Characteristic of the
man. Ia speaking Of the civilian In
warfare he says:
I'm these days of snipcrs. stray bull
lets, shell fragments and what not he
must share To some extent, however
carefully guarded. the dangers OF the
day. ! have had number Of narrow
escapes IN the war. Everybody has had.
| did not like IT, do not believe that
any one does. j cannot conceive that
anybody likes to be in village that In
being shelled or in an open space that is
being Shellcd or IN motor ear going
along "A road that is being shelled."
The wonderful organization OF the
hospital corps. of the commssary and
the transport service. which reach from
the firing line back through their myriad
lines of communication to Blighty, as
Tommy calls old England. are described
with admiting appreciation by the man
who has not hesitatcd to criticsc when
he thought II best The Army Behind
the Army" Is the heading OF one OF his
chapters in which he tells of the great
factories England has built in France,
OF the repair stations where everything
from an old pair of boots to a smashed
autom bile are put in shape for further
use. The training of the men attracted
Lord \orthclire. miniature battleiields.
each larger than Waterloo, where men
,I~c real bombs and go through real gas
"a order to get used to it.
Some OF the most interesting parts OF
the narrative are chapters devoted to
descriptions Of -" commanders who have
played great roles In the struggle. Sir
Douglas Haig. Joifre, Cadorna and Gen.
BIrdwood, the beloved commander OF the
Anzscs. The indctinably Scotch at
mosphere of Haig's headquarters. the
duurness and splendid enthusiasm OF the
man the grave simplicity of Pere Joffre,
with the square head and kindly eyes:
Lcnial cadurna. WHO can be ruthless and
Kind and adamint, with n glitter In his
eyes which Lord NorthCllne says re-
minds nm of the late j, Il. Morgan, as
do Gen. cadorna- other characteristics:
and the daring Birdwood. venturing too
close 10 the firing line for the peace OF
mind of MS officers. that Ae may be
closer 10 his men.
The greatest space given To any one
subject IN his book is devoted by Lord
NOrthrlitfe to the war doctors. III praise
of whom he is unstintcd, and the work
of thc Rad Cross that Is doing 40 much
To r,.IrNc the dreadful Suii.ting of the
war. The proceeds of his book, by the
way. are to go Ia tn" joint committee
| of the British Red Cross and the order
of -. John
The great changes that the habits and
thoughts OF the men Ia the field are
undergoing are suggested occasionally In
/ little observations scattered through the
book like prophecies. His notes that the
! men looh vita amazed eyes on what the
| French can dc IN the way OF sup
| porting themselves on a little land. and
| their voiced determination to begin again
when they get home hot as laborers. as
| employees, but as land owners. He
! stood on the end of the quay in France.
4 watching Red Cross ship steam home
with its cargo OF wounded.
81 wondered If people and politicians
at nome are beginning to understand that
me bravery and camsraderie OF the
/ officers and men in the field has broken
down ali class feeling and that our
millions of men abroad are changed
/ communities OF whose thoughts and
B anus We know little.
dust a. Grants soldiers, the Grand
1 Armv OF tar Ecrub.c, dominated the
/ oie' lions for quarter OF century, SO
! Will the men | have seen In the trenches
and the am1uluuCes come home and de-
maud by thor votes the reward OF a very
changed Euglaud--an England they will
fashion ana share. an England that
! - lIl>clv to hc as much "A surprise to
! the present owners of Capital and leaders
uf Labor aS il may be - the owners
"t the Land