LORD KITCHENER AND INDIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 979, 24 February 1910, Page 4

LORD KITCHENER AND INDIA.

Of late our cable messages have mentioned Lord Kitchener's name in connection with the Vice-Royalty of India, remarks the "New Zealand Herald." We doubt however, whether these rumours have any real foundation, but assuming them to be true, we should regret if Lord Kitchener were induced to abandon his military career in order to assume a civil role, however lofty and distinguished. That career marks him as the ablest soldier in the Empire for the responsible post of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, and it is in such a position that his great abilities as a military organiser would be likely to have the amplest scope and to be of most service to the Empire. Though the painful impression caused by the revelations of army chaos at the time of the South Africa n wur lias become dimmed by distance, there are still good reasons for believing that nn radical improvement has taken place, and that there is room for drastic reforms. By universal consent Lord Kitcherer is regarded as the one man in the whole Army who is fitted by his strength of character, his exceptional gifts, his wide training and experience, for the task of setting the British mili-

tary house in urder. It would be a thousand pities, therefore, and, in? leed, a national misfortune if his services were not to be availed of. For the high office of Viceroy of there are many men in the jmployment of the State who posless superior qualifications. Lord kitchener's particular genius doeslot fit him for a position requiring a lappy and unique combination of Drofuund statesmanship and accomplished diplomacy. He has no taste iior the ceremonial pomp and circumitance of a vire-regal court. He lacks .he grace of a Chesterfkld and the iloquence of a Curzon. He is a soldier >robably the greatest soldier of the ige but it is only in that capacity ;hat he is supreme. As such he ia of ncalculable value to the Empire and ;he highest wisdom surely is to make ;he most use of him in purely miliary matters. There is only one thine ;hat in our opinion, would justify his ippointment as Viceroy of India and ,hat is the imminence of another nutiny. _______________