The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1917. "THE ORGANISER OF VICTORY"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3036, 24 March 1917, Page 8

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1917. "THE ORGANISER OF VICTORY"

By a happy coincidence the Lord Kitchener Memorial Book has made its appearance at the very time when public attention has been directed to what, in the opinion of some people, was one of the weak spots in the great soldier's administration. The book is a , splendid tribute to one who was equally successful as a builder and a defender of the Empire, and who ■ willingly placed all his-strength of mind and body at ■the disposals of his- country. Mar-SHAL-'JoBTRE,_in the course of a warm tribute' to his''fallen colleague, de-' i'clares'that "Kitchener deserves'to bear for prosperity the name of "Organiser, of. Victory.' " It is with feelings of'.heartfelt gratitude for services -rendered at critical moments that the French Marshal declares was one of the best■■ friends of France. How Kitchener helped France at a desperately anxious -juncture is ■ described by the Marquis de Ohasseloup Laubat, Charge de Missions et Negotiations.Techniques, who was brought into,close touch with the British War Minister soon after the outbreak of hostilites. The Marquis is able to throw some new and valuable light upon the relations' between Britain and France during the early stages of the war.

i n ? c 8 /v 3norn J? g , ihe mni ** of MMI t( > J?^ 8 ) I was suddenly called «> -Lord Kitchener's room in the. War Office, where I' learnt alarming facts which can now he disolosed, as there is no longer, the slightest chance of their recurrence. ■ Through the failure of certain things -upon which tho ITrench authorities had during some time built great hopes,.the Frenoh- Army was seriously in danger of running short of certain materials and finished products which were absolutely necessary to beat back any new German onslaught;, and our Commander-in-Chief himself had sent to the Secretary, of State for War a distinguished British Colonel (now a General) in order to explain his pressing need, and his earnest request that England should help us oat of our most dangerous difficulties.

The Marquis goes on to describe how anxious .Kitchener was to meet all tho requirements of General Joffre. He did everything that could be ■done, ■ and : was greatly troubled -ber .cause he'-could not supply all Joff'be's heeds.'" After Kitchener had given his final instructions an incident happened which made a deep impression on tho Marquis. _ The qay is falling and the large room is in 6emi-darkness. The Secretary of State for War dismisses everybody except the. British Colonel of whom I have already spoken and . myself. . . . Kitchener slowly dictates the (alas, too short!) list of the things he can' give Joffro. He then, takes off his spectacles. A pause and deep silence. The Secretary of State for War leans back in his chair audi remains motionless, as if buried in his thoughts. Then suddenly, in a deep and halt-strangled voice, as if he wore suffering agonies of pain, he slowly addresses the Britishjofficer with these following words and short sentences, which still ring in my cars, and between which' were great silences, as if he were gasping for breath: "Tell Joffre . . . tell my friendhJoffre ~ . . that I am very, Borry . > . so very sorry that I can do no. more." As I have finished writing down what he dictated I tarn round and gaze at him, and, to my intonso astonishment, I seo that Jield-Jilarshal Earl Kitchener actually has tears in his eyes, because he is" "so yery sorry that he' can do no more." _ He patches niy look; and, as if he was ashamed qf ; himself.and of what he seems to consider a weakness, he quickly puts back his spectacles.

Most' people have the impression that Kitchener was a hard man, but those who knew him best knew that underneath a somewhat harsh and forbidding exterior a very human heart was concealed.

It is well to remember the glimpses which the Marquis de Ohasseloup Laubat and others have been able to give us into Kitchener's heart when we think of the references in the report of the Dardanelles Commission to the relations which existed between the late War Minister and his subordinates. We are told that he was too much inclined to isolate himself. He either did; not. ask or he disregarded the advice •of -the General _ Staff. He certainly had his peculiarities. He was not a commonplace man, and c6mmdnplace men could not always understand him. His "reserve often repelled them. He had his own way of doing his work. The Marquis de .Chasseloup' Laubat; "tells" ;.'iis that whenever'. Kitchener, had '■ to make one. of. 'those' decisions upon which the future of the war might depend, he .almost invariably forgot for a short time his surroundings -and immersed -himself into silence and solitude. ■He entrenched himself as in- an impregnable fortress wherefrom his will and decision sallied forth with recuperated strength and increased energy. These methods of working were the natural outcome of his individuality. They were part of himself. These'personal characteristics made him what he was. By their means he achieved success and greatness. They may have had- drawbacks, but tested by results their justification is ample. Some people may think [that' he would have .accomplished even more than he did, if this or that element in his personality had been different. Perhaps so, but he would .not then' have' been Kitchener, and after making every allowance for his shortcomings, Sir Wil-liam-Robertson, his Chief of Staff, is undoubtedly right when he states that'"if we'eventually win this war, as we may hope ; to • do, • the chief credit will be due to Lord Kitchener, for he alone, so far as I am aware, grasped from tho first the magnitude'; of the task' in front of us." The power of comprehensive vision was one of the gifts that made him.great. He had the capacity of seeing. things steadily and seeing them whole. General Joffre was as much impressed as Sir Wil : liam' Robertson by Kitchener's prophetic visum _ In his contribution to the Memorial Booh, the French Marshal states that right from the outbreak of hostilities, with a.vision which one must now recognise as prophetic, evolved tho scheme..oFthc new military organisation that had to be set on, foot. Undaunted, by - difficulties, he carried through the plan he set himself to accomplish. ■ The Italian Com-mander-in-Chief (General' Cadorna) remarks that Kitohener "was one of the makers of the single front; and this will not be ..among the least of .his titles to honour." Though ho did not live to see the final, triumph of the Allies, he well deserves to be known in history by the title bestowed on him by Marshal Joffre,_ "The Organiser of Victory," for his work will have counted for more than the work of any other-man in "making victory certain.