Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-09
BRILLIANT STATESMAN
WAS ONCE LIEUTENANT
Sir Maurice Hankey Power Behind
the Throne of British
Politics.
CAREER HAS BEEN STIRLING
EhSland's Impulsivc Premier Has
Found Sober Counselor in Man
Whose Mastery OF Detail Has
Made Him Indispensable.

Whose Mastery of Detail Has
Made Him Indispensable.
by MAJOR BRYAN COOPER.
LONDON. March S--Democracy is
slowly beginning to realize the debt
that il owes to its organizers. For
long the politician. the eloquent man.
has mono 3pli"cd the limeiight. and
s"ayed the Senates by his eloquent,
but now the world knows that II cam
not be comptent!y governed by elo-
Iuence alone Hlad this been possible !
kerensky would have been i great sue
cess in Russia).
Somewhere behind the leader Of the J
people there always stands Il patient
man collecting Information, forming
with sound advice wherever the states
man calls for il. Such man requires
many. not the least Of which is self
ehacenent. II IS no bad testimony 10
the political systems or Great Britain
and The United States that men of this
type. modest. sane. nard-working. al
, NAYS seem to be sorth nN,,r when
Colonel House; Lloyd George. whose
impulsive nature STANDS urgently in
need OF {. sober counsellor. has found
Sir Maurice Hankey.
Fate would seem TO have bantered
Maurice Pascal Alers Hankey at his
birth, FOR he entered the world on April
tApril FOOLS Day., 1871 lie was
one OF n large family. and though his
father was able TO send him TO a his
to,ic English public school" ii was
ing. AT the age OF eighteen he be-
came "A second Lieutenant in the Royal
Marine Artillery.
DIFFICULT FOR JUNIOp
OFFICER TO LIVE N ARMY
Before the war. it was difficult for
E..t-f Hf l.,
Of private means 10 live in the British
army. Almost the only regiment which
offered suiticien; pay and cheap
enough standard of living was the
corps OF Royal Marines. But though
/, offered livelihood. tbs prospects
OF a successful future were small.
the Admiralty did not consider that
the marine officer who entered the
service at eighteen or nineteen years
OF age had had sufficiently nautical
mand Of even the smallest torpedo
boat Marines also served as soldiers
ashore. but as they We're no concern OF
the War Office. the higher commands
oil the army were closed TO them.
Maurice iankey had every prospec; OF
spending The best thirty years of his
HOMOGENEOUS routine. aud retiring, aged
about nifty, on pension oe $4,000
year.
For some years there seemed no es-
cape from ihs fate. but in 1899 his
good luck brought him to the flagship
or the Med!terranean squadron: the
"Ramil!es. OH which some OF the
ab!est officers in the navy CHANGED to
be serving. Young Hankey's ability
was noted. and Mt the age OF twenty
ave he found himself a captain and
attached to the N::vay Intelligence De
partment at the Admiralty. He re-
manned there four years and founr his
acted Intelligence officer IN the Medi-
terranedn, but in 1905 vacancy oc-
CURED for an assistant secretary TO
the committee OF imperial defense. and
iiankey. aged th!rty-one. APP
pointed.
COMMITTEE NAMED TO
COLLECT INFORMATION
The committee of imperial defense
was committee created by Arthur
Balfour in 1902, to secure co-ordina-
ton between the naval and military
authorities and the political heads of
the state. 1t was employed in collect
inS information and framing plans to
meet almost every military con-
tihsency, with special reference 10 i'm
perial requirements. Hankey was well
qua iiied for the work. since his father
South African, and his patient in
industry and prompt grasp of ideas
made profound impression on the
statesmen with whom he came in daily
contact.
In 1912 the secretaryship became va
cant. and instead OF following the
general or admiral OF proved reputa-
ton, Captain Hanltey. aged thirty
hNe, was given the post. /! made :,
success. though since the committee
mad no executive powers he could en-
ercise little direct ecect on the war.
Lloyd George. who has no gift for the
mastery OF details, marked the fact
that Hankey possessed this quality.
and acquired growing respect for
his sanity OF judgment.
When he became Premier after the
oil mar 1..ln Il
Il secretariat for the War Cabinet. and
placed Hankey at the head of it. This
step WAS great innovation, for hither-
happy So-luck institution without
minutes or asenda. and only supplied
with such information as the depart
ments concerned chose to- furnish.
There were many who would have been
glad to see this innovation fail, but
II has been II success. and it is TO
Hankcy that its success is mainly due
While doing this, While chargimg his
brain with the essential details of
every question that might come up for
discussion he has made himself indis-
pensable to Lloyd George.
He is now justified in considering
himself the power behind the throne"
in, British politics, for his advice is
George was forming his government
anew. he announced that he was going
TO spend few days alone. at his Welsh
home to think its composition out. lie
went to Wales. but not alone; lie took
Hankey with him.
Nor is Hankey's influence confined to
English politics. for he has accompa-
MED Lloyd George to the peace confer
ence. and has been appointed one OF its
secretaries. This is probably his
greatest triumph. for all the trained
diplomats Of the Foreign Office. who
have septn their lives in the study OF
European affairs have been passed
over in favor of this half-pay marine
lieutenant-col lionel of forty-twO.
HAS LITTLE USE FOR
HONORS AND TITLES
He has little use for honors and
titles Though three years ago he ac-
copied Is. Z. Is. because ii gave him
greater influence in dealing with other
government departmentS). If he wished
he could be major-gcneral. but he
prefers TO remain a lieutenant colonel,
and does not even wear the coveted
red tabs that are the insignia of the
general STAFF. He is small and unob-
trusive, with a baldi head and tiny
moustnche. and when he has time he
plays lawn tennis and cricket like Il
true EncliShmnn