The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
DOM PAUL'S PEOPLE

The thought comes to one in reading
that valuable and timely work of Howard
.. Hillegas. loom Pauls People," that
the striking and moving things Of war are
for the most part neglected. because they
are unrecorded, and take life only long
years after their occurrence. take life, that
IS. for the reader. because to the partici-
pant, they are vital at the moment and
keen in the recollection always
The striking and moving things Of war
are the individual experiences of the non
military portion Of a war-strickeu land,
mostly young boys. woman and old men,
and the concern Of the non combatants
left behind. These things are lost in the
impersonal plunge and recession Of the
great war mechanism. The strategical
movement which led 10 the retreat from
Dundee two weeks ago IS as dead as the
checkmate move in a chess game a wear
old last Christmas The swing Of a di-
vision. an out-fank and a retreat. to the
reader OF the cables in spite of the most
active Imagination. remains in his mind
a mechanical movement, not an accumula-
ted store OF anguish and delight. Of the
emotions Of victory or defeat. but an ad-
vantage or a disadvantage. We read Of
the thing which is undressing and not
of the man who IS always interesting.
After the Boey repulse at Eiandslaagte.
recently, we who comfortably read the
Csbleggams. IF we symp2thized with the
Beers. realized only n feeling Of 5isap-
pointment or annoyance over their d.sad-
vantage We did not see the distraught
camp the disordered soldiers. the flying
couyiers back into the Transvaal with the
unfayorable news. We did not follow the
rumor. as Il grew false and terrible. TO
the homes Of the people and did not see
their terror or hear their cries. We did
not see. in that succinct and lack-detail
bulletin. the face Of tin dead patriot star
ing at the sky. the rough Joubert eaten
with anxiety. In word. we did not see
back OF the scenes Of the war-stage. back
Of the scenes where man and woman loom
above tactics and strategy
The value Of this book loom Pauls
People" is thar it takes Us there, At leas;
uomentarily Published only a short
time ago and before the precipjtate ulti-
matum frosn Pretoria, il is quick with
the controversy which has set the greater
nation and the smaller one over against
each other In fiEht 10 finish. We ar,
shown. in this work. the Boe-. his ranch
his life, his work. his house. his crude gov-
eminent. his mode Of thought. just as h
IS. to us unenviable bur human, and. he
trg the child % a republic set up in int
tation Of ours our friend.
II : a rather singular thing and prob
ably without a precedent IN literature tia
Mr. Hulegas has written q book In de
scrlption Of war. before the war hay
occurred. Il IS written. ali OF e. on n,
presumption that war was inevitable
Everything IN ii. consequently, is timely
spropos. and illustrative OF present move
gnents. F pm this work. most os The dats
on the South African trouble appearing IL
our American newspapers. il Is plain I,
BE- seen, has been cleaned.
For instance. the interview Mr. Hrlera,
rad at Pretoria with President Krusei
could even Today stand the Insertion 0.