HIGGINS CHOSEN.

Auckland Star, Issue 38, 14 February 1929, Page 7

HIGGINS CHOSEN.

ARMY'S NEW CHIEF. High Council Selects Booth's Successor. EVA BOOTH OUTVOTED. (Australian and N.Z. Tress Association.) (Received 12 noon.) LONDON, February 13. The High Council of the Salvation Army met and discussed the question of a successor to General Booth, deemed to be physically unfit to discharge the duties of leader of the Army. Commissioner Edward John Hijrgins, C.8.E., was elected to the position oi general.

IMPASSIONED PLEA. Fresh Compromise Offered By General. LISTENERS IN TEARS. (Australian Press Assn.—United'' Service.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 13. Before the Grand Council Mr. Jewitt, K.C., made a two-hour speech, combining the legal argument with impassioned pleading. He read a letter from the general offering a fresh compromise and allowing the council to choose his successor if he retained command iai a slightly modified form. Mr. Jewitt urged the council not to dismiss a man who had been ill nigh unto death. Many listeners were moved to tears. General Booth's doctor, two eminent physicians and also two friends, including Commissioner Pollard, formerly the Army's chancellor, gave evidence that General Booth should be physically fit to resume duty in a month or two. The voting resulted in five votes beinj: cast for General Booth and o2 against. Four members abstained from voting. WILL NOT RESIGN. Lloyd George And Mac Donald Asked To Mediate. EXPENSES OF COUNCIL. (Australian and X.Z. Press Association.) LONDON", February 13. The High Council of the Salvation Army is to sit again at Sunbury to-day, instead of in London, as was previously announced. It is understood that the council and General Bramwell Booth will both be represented by counsel.

Witnesses will be heard on behalf of the general. Three will be medical men and the others will be Mr. G. A. Pollard, who was chancellor 6? the exchequer of the Army 25 years ago, and has been actively associated with the general's defence, and Mr. Maurice Whitlow, who interviewed the general in his bedroom a week ago. Questions are being asked concerning (the cost of assembling the members of the council from all parts of the world. I Certain it is that the initiators of the sittings never anticipated that they would be so prolonged. Some of the delegates have provisionally booked passages by the Leviathan, due to sail on Friday. Each member of the council yesterday received a letter from Mrs. Bramweil Booth, asking them, out of regard for the memories of the past and the needs of the present, not to adjudicate the general unfit. It is believed that the general will offer to entrust the council with the appointment of his successor and the reorganisation of the system of control of the Army. However, he utterly refuses to resign immediately ai.d abandon his sacred trust.

Commissioner Edward John Higgins, C.8.E., can be said to have been born in the Salvation Army. His father was an Army officer before him, and in 1882 the Commissioner, who has now risen to the highest post in the organisation, first entered upon commissioned rank. Born at Reading over 60 years ago, he has passed through many important positions in the Army, and it was his privilege to work very closely with the great founder of the movement, the late General Booth. Since 1919 he has been Cliief-of-Staff, really second-in-command to General Bramwell Booth, whose successor he has been chosen to be. Previously lie had been in command of the International Training Garrison in London, Chief Secretary in the l_ mted States of America. Assistant Secretary at Headquarters in London and Commissioner in Charge of British Territory. In 1907 Commissioner Higgins accompanied the founder of the Army to Canada and Japan, and two years later \ isited the Jar Last as the representative of International Headquarters. Commissioner Higgins married in 1887 Captain Catherine Price, and four members of the family are Salvation Army officers.

The new chief is an officer with a rare personality, and his manner and honestv of purpose have endeared him to the Army as a Whole. A fluent speaker, radiating the great principles of the Gospel he expounds, and with his almost unique knowledge of the Army and its working conditions in almost every part of the world, the appointment is calculated to give the utmost satisfaction to the rank and file as well as to all commissioned officers.