SALVATION ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 16

SALVATION ARMY

NEW GENERAL'S PLANS

REMAINING AMERICAN

LEADER'S PLACE THE VAN

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, September 5. Tho General-elect of tho Salvation Army does not propose to relinquish her American citizenship when sho succeeds General Higgms on his retirement in November. "It will be an advantage to continuo my citizenship of tho United States," sho said, addressing Press representatives at tho international headquarters of tho Salvation Army in London. "The Salvation Army is international, and tho General is international. If our Japanese Commissioner, for instance, wore made General, he could not forgo his nationality. My father used to say: 'When you are m Franco as a Salvationist you aro a Frenchman, when in Germany, a German, and when in India, an Indian— with a slightly different-coloured skin, that's all.' " . Asked about the future- command m tho United States, she pointed out that that country was, so far as tho Army was concerned, divided into four territories, each of which had a Commissioner at its head. "Now that I, tho Commander-in-Chief, have loft America," sho said, "au officer in the position I occupied will not bo necessary. That officer is removed here. I know Salvation Army matters in the United States from A to Z, and theroforo they will certainly have a comprehensive mind as regards their affairs right in tho centre of things as well as a heart that will never fail to bo deeply interested in all that concerns them. Tho Salvation Army is incorporated in America, and the corporation will need a president. That can easily bo arranged." "NOT A BUSINESS." In Teply to a question whether the Salvation Army wero not becoming a business institution rather than an agency for converting souls, she said: — "Tho Salvation Army is no more business than ever it was except that wo curried out operations into thoso channels which necessitated a wider executive work than before. You cannot help and houso tho poor, you cannot erect orphanages for children and hospitals for the sick poor without a measure of business entering into it." There would bo no fundamental changes in tho Army's policy—no drastic innovations, and no modification of their great work, which was a sacred tradition handed down from tho founder. "Will there be any change in the uniforms of the- soldiers of either sex?" she was asked. "Not in tho slightest," was her reply. "In theso days of changing fashions wo Salvation Army women have a distinct advantage over tho poor creatures to whom dressing must become an agony. AVo have our neat bluo uniform, and tlie Salvation Army lassie's bonnet suits all faces and all ages. Look at mine; isn't it much nicer than somo of the creations one sees perilously perched on tho back of the head? "I won't pass any remarks on tho present style, but 1 have my own opinion about thorn. Hats have come down to about the size of postage stamps. In our day deciding how to dress becomes a perfect agony, and people must change their stylo whether tho new one is becoming or not." "Do you allow your young girls to wear silk stockings'?" UNIMPORTANT MATTERS. "That does not come into the question of uniform," was tho reply of the General-elect. "I cannot say as to this country, but in America I don't know whether you call them silk, /but their stockings are of an inexponsivo material that might pass for silk. You cannot buy woollen stockings in America as they are too expensive, and wo in tho Salvation Army have to go in for what looks good and is inexpensive." | "Do you approve of your officers using cosmetics?" "No, wo haven't time," said Commander Booth with emphasis, "and we haven't got tho money. But those aro small matters." When asked -whether it was porrnissible for Army officers to attend football matches and cinemas, she replied: "There is a regulation, and a very reasonable regulation, which prevents them going into cinemas. They como under the heading of theatres, I believe. All I our people are enthused with tho greater things. They don't want to be wasting their time sitting in a theatre. They would feel as much out of place sitting in a theatre as if they drank or smoked. They feel it does not become a teacher of Jesus Christ to stand at tho street corner and smoke." When told that the General's salary was rumoured to bo £10,000 a year sho replied: "I have not tho least idea what the General's salary is; I have never inquired." A Salvation Army officer who was present interpolated that it was about a twentieth of tho figure mentioned.

Ono last word sho addressed to the world. "There is only one w*ay to bo a leader, and that is to be first—l havo always been there and I shall stay there."