Evening journal., 1919-02-20
Displayed Qualities
of Leadership Early

tradition tells us that he early dis
PLAYED , Quality Of leadership and con-
troll smong his school boy companions
who were won't 10 refer 10 him as UNI
pire for their youthful disputes anc
= controversies. This soberness and dig.
nifty OF character were not incompatible
with the youthful exuberance OF spirit
that ne displayed In all physical sports
and psstimes. a combination that has
fortunately made OF his boyh0od an at
tractive exemplar for generations OF
American youth. His occupation as
Public SurA eyor necessitsted Ions ex-
curslons into the then wilderness OF
western Virginia. and life In the open
gave him a knowledge, unusual even
among his contemporaries. OF the noun
iains and forests and Indian denizens
OF that beautiful and remarkable re-
gion He became a master Of wood
craft and this, combined with his ma
tive courage and diplomatic skill, en-
anled him 10 cope with the dangers Of |
Indian ssysgery, which he frequently |
encountered.
mot only was his splendid physique
mus developed and hardened he was
satd 20 be six feet two and half inches
high and muscular In proportion), but
his decision o. character, courage, re-
sourcefulness and sound Judgment were
also doubtless developed by an expe-
rience which seems 10 us today so
unique and remarkable.
"But these circumstances OF his boy
ish environment are not alone sufficient
20 account for the early maturity OF his
judgment and the purposeful formation
OF his character. There was a native
and Unborn quality OF his nature thai
prompted him thus early and through.
out his life 10 practice a self discipline
as admirable as IL Is rare--a self dlsci
plne which subdued and generally KEEP
under control the natural violent tenn
per with which he Is said 10 have beer
endowed, a control which was rarel.
lost, as Il was at the Battle OF Mon
mouth. when he denounced with I'M
restrained passion and righteous wrstl
the aprsrent coNvardice and disloyalt!
Of Gen sral Charles Lee In not bringing
into az son the troops under his com
msnd at critical moment In the bat
tie. We can sympatlize with hin OF
that occasion and realize that this tenn
per under control OF his lndomitabl,
will contributed 10 his character the
dynamic power and energy which Il
would otherwise have lacked. II was
this self discipline which never per
mitted him to lose sight OF the obli-
cations OF duty. In the performance OF
which his attentiLn 10 the smallest de-
tails was conspicuous and habitual.
THE habiis Of life and conduct thus
eugendered, and which In their agsre-
gate constitute so large a part OF human
character, became conspicuous as he
entered manhood and began to incur
the lsrser responsibilities OF life. These
responsibilities came quickly. He was
only nineteen when he was made Nit
.srs Inspector, with the rank Of Major,
~ protect the Virginia frontiers against
w w french and Indians. a posltion 10
'en MS experience as surveyor In |
Win ~ no, OF Virginia and his contac,
~ we ~. indians peculiarly fltied rim
10 me following year he ,.,as " a
po,h,eo Adiutant General ~ ~. rH ap-
sse. ne was sent 90 a fni ssI Years OF
.tonler Of the British nnss 70 The
~e rroVinte Of pennsvlvanl,saS s''ns IN
Then quickly follovsa M INA.
OF q small force Of British 20 80 command
against the French. In Nvha, INDIANS
as The Great Meadows esnnsa,. :. rno wv,