ALEXEIEFT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2772, 16 May 1916, Page 5

ALEXEIEFT

THK RUSSIAN; CHIEF OF STAFF

A PEN PORTRAIT

;(By H. Fyfe,:

"Daily ilail^s"

Special Correspondent in Russia.)

It was oncei said of a famous; singer, "She is not so much a -woman as a voice." I shouM'say "of" General'Alexeieff," who directs' the blows of Russia's, armies, that Ke is. not a personality.but a brain. He is unlike any Russian. ;I. have ever come across. He has none, of the qualities which distinguish the Russian character. Far from being expansive, convivial, garrulous, he is shy and reserved, prefers his'own company to that of othe"rs, and is more sparing of speech than a Scot. It is clear from his features that he is; not. a Slav;- at all events not an unmixed Slav! His small eyes and high cheek-bones denote the Burnish or Mongol type so often mot with in Eussia. But what you notice first of,all is the high, domed forehead of the man. It suggests instantly intellect, an intellect far more penetrating and developed than the ordinary. Nor does this first: impression need to be rev'sed. General Alexeicif is an intellect-an intellect de-. voted solely and severely to the. profession of war. , • j It is intellect which alone has raised liim from the ranks, where he began, to the great position which lie holds to-day as Chief "of Staff to tho Emperor-General-issimo. Interesting that ; both in autocratic Russia and in democratic Britain tho men singled out to-be. entrusted with the most responsible "tasks. General Alexeieff aiid Sir William Eobortson, should be soldiers who began their careers with no advantage beyond the possession of ex- ' ceptional minds. A poor;man, Alexeieff was born fifty-nine years ago. By the extremo simplicity of his habits, by his diffidence and dislike of society, he shows that ho has never quite changed or wished to-change his class. When he was summoned to take over the direotion of the campaign iipon the -whole front, stretchjug. from the Baltic to Bukovina, ho was disturbed by tho prospect of having to lunch daily with the Emperor and the company invited by His Majesty, including ill the notables who visit the "Stavka" (so the Russians ;all headquarters in the field). He represented to the Emperor that this would eorcly interfere with his work, tliril h'; uid not enjoy society, that he needed all the time tnere: was for thinking, mid so on. Kindly and sympathetically (for li-j U.S. 6hy man himself) the Emperor excustd -him. So the Chief of Staff :uu?!iss and dines daily at an hotel in, the town where there has been established a cliai for officers and for all who have liusinjSj wyt.l the headquarters staff. General" Ale.\e!tllscarcely seems to ' notice what ho eals He gets through it quickly :M j< plainly glad when the simple mear is over and he can go back to work.

"Not Quite Human." He'spends'from" twelve to fourteen • hours-a. day'in-his'office. Tor the sake of exercise he ; walks for an.hour or so after dinner in the dark. Often he is up till three or four in the morning. I cannot'see anyone till 10. p.m.," he■ says sometimes, when he ! is specially -J>usyj "hut if they come then, 1 am prepared to sit up with them all night." There is never any moment at'which he.can say: "Now my work is done. 1 can case lny ease." The quiet voice, scarcely ever raised, ' heightens the impressiveness of this famous soldier'.' Whenever he takes a part in general conversation, which is not often, all other voices cease. He does not make, the slightest effort to impose himself or his opinions on the company. ' There is an instant, genuine desire to catch what this silent commander has to say. He is gentle, in manner, patient, and considerate,' entirely without "side,' yet he exercises an • authority which everybody feels and acknowledges. Perhaps it is because he is not quite, human that he is so quickly and exactly obeyed.From the generals who are his co-labour-ers in strategy, down to the orderlies who carry his.notes, all seeiri'lo understand how: important it is that he shall be served well. He secures devotion not by winning people's hearts but by doininat- ' ing. their intellects with the force of. his own. There is something almost hypnotic in the "steady glance of his deeply set grey eyes. A subtle' transmission of thought takes place from brain to brain. After saying so much . I need hardly add that. General Alexeift" is an exceedingly difficult man to see. Even from .those who have almost daily business with him he.is apt to require, before lie makes appointments, an exact _outline or. what they wish to discuss. No time_ is given up to'the pleasant small talk which usually, enlivens official interviews ii Russia. As a rule,' when you visit per- . sons of authority in this country it is . better not to approach the object of your visit too soon; They might think such haste abrupt, unmannerly. But with . Alexeieff say what you have got .'to say at once. Don't keep him waiting. A Great General. He is a good listener. He hears his visitor out, offering neither comment nor criticism; grasps purport and details quickly and completely; then replies. He is not "stiff in opinion." He will accept suggestion if they cpiumend themselves to his judgment. He will evon agree to depart from a plan of his. own should he he persuaded of the higher merits of some other plan. It. is easy to see that he has a passion for mastering details. • Matters which most, commanders would leave an assistant he prefers to deal with himself. It w-ould be easy and obvious ■ to remark that he is too much inclined to keep all strings in his own fingers. .That might be aii apposite criticism if ho had failed in his great task. But he has, on the contrary, been so far a bril- ■ liant success.

I have just been rending a little book, one of a series by Russian war correspondents, which describes the retirement from Yilna and the rapid measures taken to avert the disaster which threatened large Russian forces at the end of their lons retirement last autumn. This was just after General Alexcieff'a appointment. Fortunately, he had for some months been in command of the frontwhere this .retreat was taking place, so he knew the tactical possibilities and the. nature of the ground. He formed frenh army qorps to counter- the blow of the German cavalry which had broken '.hrough the Kussian front, timed every movement exactly, extricated SO.OOO men from a very difficult position, and brnnglit the whole of the forces between Dvinsk and the Poliesi marshes safely back on to the line which they have held ever Bince