WHAT ABOUT KITCHENER?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 111, 18 August 1910, Page 4

WHAT ABOUT KITCHENER?

New Zealanders feel an'interest in Lord Kitchener. Some have served under him, many 'have -seen him in this country, and he has laid down a policy for our military guidance which we do not propose to follow. We regard him as tli. 1 great- , est living soldier because we have had the fact dinned into our, minds. It is impossible for us to know whether he is the greatest living soldier, and it is evident that some British political leaders are not quite sure. As a mystery man, (Lord Kitchener is unusual, andi when he has fought, either with wit, or weapon, he has always won. He fought the biggest man in India and won;' he fought the greatest war of wit and weapon in Egypt and won, and: he knew the only way tp clew up the South African war. He disdainfully refused the offer of the Mediterranean' command, "held formerly by the late King's brother; it is not publicly known whiat he would personally like to do; and it is feared that he may desire to reform the War Office. The Duke of Wellington desired to do the same thing, and was execrated by every fat sinecurist who drew a thousand a year and came down to office once a week. . The quaintest story is that Lord Kitchener has been asked to reorganise the Chinese army. It is a task that the greatest commander of all the ages might 'be proud of, for he would 'have an opportunity of handling the largest possible number of fighting men who would be mere clay in his hands. There'* is nothing dishonorable from the soldier's point of view in accepting such service. There are many ."Macs" and "O's" and plain Brdwns and Smiths in the armies of Europe, especially in the one that serves the Czar. It is likely, ' however, that Lord Kitchener is much 'too British to undertake the Chinese offer, and that he may be content, like so many other naval and military lead' ers, to drop out of the fighting line and criticise it. British politicians, the Admiralty and the War Office have carefully insulted quite a number of eminent Bailors and soldiers out of the services.

Mr. Asquith's angry exclamation that he deprecated the mention of particular officers' names in the House of Commons makes one understand that in the opinion of some sections our greatest soldiers "are small potatoes and few to .the root." ft