The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-03
F|RMNESS CHIEF
TRAIT Of IRISH
MILITARY ruler
Sir NeviI MaCready Has Rec
ord of Undertaking Diff
cult Tasks and Always
Coming Out on Top.

NEW YORK. May 3. (By Interna-
tional News Service. Gen. Sir Nevil
Macready, the new military ruler OF
ireland, Is a man with a purpose. That
purpose petI Is to have his own way. He
cidents in which his firmness, his in
Lilexloillty and his dominating spirit
nave riumphed over obstacles.
When, as colonel, he went down
10 Tonypandy and soothed the raging
F hearts OF the striking, miners. they
found him a genial, kindly easy-spoken
man with vocabulary that they un-
uerstood and liked. Also they found
tnat mere was no mere military dandy
VINO wi. mad come down to plead with them
N IN auleet tones. They found instead
mat behind his amiable talk was a de-
termination to put an end to strife and
- mat he would not hesitate to use all
me powers at his command to end it.
AND ne did Wherefore he became
known as the strikebreaker of Tony
pandy,' with this strange fact added
thereto, namely, that the men who had
rloted bore the riot smasher no ill-will,
but rather respected him.
foT instance, one of the leaders came
10 MIN and warned him that the men
we're armed with revolvers. THANK
God for that" replied Sir Nevil. II
don't understand you," said the leader.
lone around with your people and
VIII explain" was the answer. So some
OF the men came around and Sir Nevil
explained:, You said your men were
armed and I said. Thank God' I am
soldier, not strikebreaker, and l
want to get back to my job. The
quickest way to be sent back will be
I ror some of you to be shot, land 1 don't
ike shooting unarmed men," So there
was no further trouble
4. Ihen, having made a success of that,
they sent him to Liverpool to do it
again; which he did.
When Ulster was upside down, Mac
ready, now general, went over to take
charge Of the affected district disguised
as resident magistrate" Ulster hated
him for it, but he did not seem to care
ana went on employing the iron hand in
tne velvet glove, talking peace and
smootmng ruffled feelings, which was
no easy task after the so-called pogrom
attempt, the effect of which he was
required to dissipate.
At general headquarters in France,
where Sir Nevil was acknowledgement
for a while, he showed again that he
regarded his duty as being far more
important than personal considera-
tons, On one particular occasion he
old not hesitate to arrest a minister
for being in the lines without the nee
essary pass.
The first police strike, which came
IKE an avalanche on the devoted head
of Sir Edward Henry, gave Sir Nevil
MS chance once again. He became
chief commissioner of police, tackled
the hornets nest and came out on the
top: The police now believe in him.
He is tall, grave-looking man in
the .fifties. In multi he looks like a
hard-worked actor, doctor or lawyer
There Is no soldier air about him. A
strong face, blue-eyed, with a sudden
smile betraying intelligence and humor
that lights up the otherwise preoccu-
pied face. One ear is badly disfigured
by wound.
Ireland? He is daring man to take
up the task, but Sir NeVil Macready's
whole career illustrates the spirit that
dominates him. He will have a good
try at 1t, come what may.