New-York tribune., 1916-07-03
War Minister Made Wrong
Prediction When Warned
To Be Cautious.
WOUNDED FIVE TIMES,
HAD MANY ESCAPES
Statesman AS Well AS Soldier,
He Won the Beers Who
Had Fought Him.
By ARTHUR 6. DRAPER.

LONDON, June ~. 'i"'' Wv f
fully in my bed" said Kitchener when
some one suggested he be more eau
tous while in the danger zone on the
field of battle.
Instead. he met death on British
cruiser ploughing through British wa
tcrs. He made many prophecies not
the least Of which was his statement
that the present war would last three
years and this one came at n time
when ninety-nine out Of every hundred
forecast the end within year.
What JoFre ia to the French HIN
donburg 10 the Germans and Cadorna
TO the Italians, Kitchener was to the
British and something more. lie
was more than q mere man; he was an
institation. a legend Kitchener could
do what he pleased with the people,
had Il been a choice between Asqui'h
and Kitchener ct any time since war
bccan the soldier would have annihi-
lated the statesman. Still. Kitchener
rarely appealed to the people had ie"
intimate friends, never played politics'
ruled with an iron hand, and iackeo
~ .ho uocnetism Of a popular idol
such as Roosevelt.
Soon after o'clock nearly every
dav 2 powerful motor drew up !"
front Of the War Office in Whitenai''
4 few moments later tall heaVS
figure four wide rows of eampa'g"
ribbons distinguishing him from o'nef
officers. came striding down the steps i',
and invariably cheer went up ad i,d
hundreds or more persons
there TO greet hltchener'
Serious and Silent.
saw him many times, but never
once did he play to the grandstand'
stern. serious, silent, he acknowledges
the applause. but never once ala MS
face break into confident smile. 3,
Vou have seen tn veteran baseoall
nlaver hero of half a hundred games
come in from the field, after maSUls
a brilliant catch. the grandstand roar
inc applause. frenzied with excite
n~ent hound that the star should rec
ocnize their appreciation by dofhng MS
cer Won have seen him stride m
Load down face stern and serious. NoV
mrTI a1most in his dugout did he raise
his cap. and then only IN 'he mus
perfunctory way. h.u s,ar
K;tcbener was like the baseball star
deadly in earnest, grown weary VI
bonors plaving the game for the pure
love Of II. oblivious to all appla
b,t that from his leader, the state
I'nlike many stars Of the dlamonu'
Kitchener never suffered from 'hS
bissee and boos of the bleachers; ne
died at the height Of his glory III '"~
minds of the multitude. 81
Titbort home ties, living most ol
his life in strange lands, 1t was n@.
ural that he should appear colu' slei, ,.'
8 martinez. Born the son OF SoIu'S.
he was soldier all his me- Dut "0
would have been just as great s'A'eS
man.
Public Service Came First.
To him fighting was not a. business
II was a religion. Public service came
frst and when an officers usefulness
, had gone he was thrown aside per
sonal friendship was OF no avail
AS soldier he was absolutely SCI
confident. determined in action, put
tIoee very Qualities worked again 81
/ Kim in the present war, as he kept such
ticht rein en- his whole department
/ III little scope was left for the dele
ce4ion OF power and authority TO any
+ of his subordinate colleagues. Nhl,,e
~ full control. Kitchener was not only
4 The head OF the British war machine
/ hut tho machine itself. Now that ne
/ has cone. it is well for Britain that ne
I bad rclinouished much of that control
months ago. -
Countless stories are told OF his
South African, Egyptian and indian
oavs. but since he became Minister fo-
War his comings and goings had been
/ ehrouded more or less IN mystery Ohe
of the best recent stories concerns
peer. who stopped him as he was en-,
tering the House of Lords couple OF
weeks ago 10 make a statement. -.
"And how is conscriplon gong
asked the fussy little lord, whose head
barely reached Kitchener's shoulder,
And what is that" countered Kitten
ener. The pompous little peer sud
denly discovered that he had business
10 attend TO in another part OF the
building.
II was not until four years age
that "K. Of X" had real home, an'
then he took a large place at broom'
Park. in Kent. Nearly every, SUNDAY
since the war started he had been &C
customed TO go there to spend th'
day .and night. For long time ne
slept in the War Office, working eigh
Il
Collector OF CuriOs.
At Broome Park he had a wonderful
collection Of curios-p porcelain anC
LACQUER were his hobbies. As some
men play golf and others solitaire
Kitchener found relief and rest II
! chnA.lrc, with cXnerts about (hnest