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Show MAJ. GEN. SAM HUGHES One of the most picturesque figures fig-ures in public life in Canada is Maj. Gen. Sam Hughes, minister of militia. '-Jis admirers call him independent and efficient; his critics say he is a marvel of indiscretion. He organized Valcartier camp, where the Canadian contingent was trained for the European Euro-pean war, and, bossing the job to suit himself, succeeded in arousing a lot of adverse criticism. But on his return from England he wiped all that out with this typical speech: "I have it on the word of the late Lord Roberts that Valcartier camp displayed on the part of your humble servant, a capacity for organization or-ganization and driving power, unsurpassed unsur-passed in military history." But Hughes was not long in finding find-ing fresh trouble. General Lessard, a French-Canadian officer, who did valiant val-iant service in South Africa, but who 4s ineligible for active service now on account of failing eyesight, as general officer commanding the Toronto district, ordered a surprise mobilization ol troops for the purpose of testing the efficiency of his organization to meet a possible invasion of German-Americans. Hughes did not approve. But Instead of reprimanding the G. O. 0. privately, pri-vately, he blazed forth his criticism in a- public address. Immediately the fat' was in the fire. V' Opposition papers said little. But government papers forthwith demanded Hughes' head. |