Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
Lawrence Back to Arabia
Clinedenst Photo

Lawrence gave much OF the credit
greatly to the delight of Auda.
Among the other British officers who
were associated with the Arab revolt
Lawrence came in contact most fire.
quently with Mai. William E. Marshall,
the chief medical officer. They were
terminates, and came as near being
pals as Lawrence ever becomes with
any men. Both were quiet and scholar
~, understood each other and enjoyed
each others society Marshall was one
of the most charming and whimsical
characters l have ever encountered. A
Scot bacteriologist and an authority
on tropical diseases. il anything he was
even more modest than Lawrence. He
| was modest to the extent that it would
| have been impossible for him to act q
part of any kind. Marshall was always
just himself. For him to have had an
enemy would have been unthinkab4e.
He could fight, but he always fought
with a smile.
Decorations Treated Lightly.
After the campaign Maj Marshall
gathered together his own kit as well as
the things in the tent that belonged to
Lawrence and in rummaging through
a pile of debris he found several Of
Lawrence's medals in an empty choco-
late tin. That was what the ''un-
crowned king of the desert thought Of
his decorations, Two years after that
while Marshall was living In Jedda as
official adviser to Shereef Hussein. then
King of the eiaz, Lawrence came out
and visited him for while. They spent
their time studying the quaint arcEt-
lecture of this bizarre city OF fantastic
coral buildings.
I talked about Lawrence with Mar
shall many times, both in the desert
and after the war. He could never
mention his friend without chuckling
Obviously he looked upon Lawrence as
a strange freak and sort of enigmatic
wizard a man equally brilliant as
scholar, military Strategist and leader
of men. Several times Marshall re-
marked to me that Lawrence'S one de-
sire now was to get away completely
escape from the eyes Of curious
world He seemed to regard his friend
as a combination OF philosopher and
hermit I believe that Marshall under
stood Lawrence better than any other
man, but unfortunately 1t Is now i'm
possible to get more information from
him because not long ago he went to
the Sudan for further study OF tropical
dlhEaSt anu ul6A AL hiihI luiils
Many people seem to have the in1-
preston that Lawrence has behaved
in a strange manner since the war;
that he changed his name to r. E. Shaw
and went into the Royal Air Force as a
private simply because he Is disgruntled
over the way the allies treated his
Arabs Many think that he has been
pnuting like child / doubt II there
is anything like this, because during the
time ! was with him in Arabia he told
me what he thought would happen To
the Arabs after the war He said that
French colonial ambitions In Syria
would probably prevent the Arabs from
getting control Of that country. which
they coveted He also believed the Brit
ish government would he unable to
keep Its promises to the Arabs, He pre-
dicted that things would happen exactly
as they have occurred. Furthermore.
he said he did not believe the Arabs
would ever he able to unite as one ma
tion because they are much too fond
of lighting among themselves.
Worked for the Arabs.
saw him many times after the war
and he did not seem incurably bitter
over what had happened. True. he had
hoped the Arabs would get a better
deal That Is why he went TO Paris
and fought for them there.
On several occasions / talked to him
about the honors and decorations which
he had declined and he told me frank
~ that his only reason was that he did
not wish to accept honors In return for
having put through military campaign
based on false promises. So his re-
fusal Of knighthood and other rewards
man who wanted TO get publicity by
doing something spectacular and
unusual
On several occasions my wife jokingly
asked him II he ever intended 10 marry.
He blushingly replied that he probably
never would because he was sure no
woman would be willing to put up with
him. For instance during the years
Immediately following the war he
led curious life In London, going with
out sleep for two or three nights at
time, eating his meals with as much
irreeulsriiy as any Bedouin In the
desert and never knowing for certain
where he would turn up next
When | asked him why he did not
return TO the Near East IN order To help
hts Arab friends In their peace~t time
efforts to build up more powerful ma
hhfit isE attttAt ~ ltHStl1l Which, gives All
interesting insight into the Stbtlety of
his understanding lie said he thought
II was far better for the Arabs to stand
entirely on their own legs without hav-
ing European playing an important
part In their affairs. And he added
That while in the heat Of war the desert
peoples were willing To overlook the
Tact that he was an outsider and a
Christian, In peace time they probably
would adopt "A different attitude. He
seemed To feel that If he continued his
close association with Feisu the Arabs
would say, Why, our King Ii merely
puppet In the hands OF this Christian
away with them bothl"
How Lawrence came To take the name
OF Shaw Is rather curisis, George Her
nafd Shaw and he have long been
friends, One day this maker OF kings
and sIltans dropped in for Tea at the
house of the famous dfamatist. One OF
The ladies present looked al him admir-
lngiy. lie seemed very Young, with his
light hair, delicate complexion and
small, slender frame He might have
been a boy from prep school. The lady
turned To Mrs, Shaw.
What an intelligent looking son you
hape' she exclaimed
Laurence hawlea With delight vhan