The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-12-22
Drastic Diaboca Taken by Lord
the Subjugation Of the Beers.
of Prisoners of War Pllaged by
the Cruel Anglo-Irsh Soldier.
Defenseless Women and Children Elected
Food and Shelter by the Troops.

as district superintendent Of police for
the district Of Krugcrsdorp. gave Of
flcial notice that unless the men then
serving in the Boer ranks, who be-
longed to families in that district,
! would surrender themselves and
hand in their arms to the imperial au-
| thoritles by the Goth Of July, the
whole OF their property will be con.
fiscatcd and their families turned out
destitute and homeless. A week later
this notice was so far modified as to
make the penalty conhscation Of stock
and supplies instead of dcstitution and
ugly sound. That was followed on
the 11th of August by proclamation
rcvoking previous promises of protcc-
ton to non-combatants and declaring
that all burghers in districts occupied
by British forces, except those who
have sworn the oath, will be regard
ed rs prisoners Of war and transport
ed; and all building structures, and
residences where the encmy's scouts
are harborcd will be liable to be razed
to the ground"
Then we have a letter Of September
2 from Lord Roberts to the Bocr Gen.
Botha, in which the writer tells of
having given orders for the burning
Of all farm houses near where any at
tempt had been made to injure trains
or railways, and threatening that for
ten miles around every farm should
be dcnuded OF provisions, cattle, etc.
Gen. Botha in replying wrote:
"Whcrcvcr your troops were, not
only our houses were burnt down or
blown up With dynamite. but defense
less women and children were elected
and robbed of all food ana cover"
rllis terrible Indictment of British
civilization is sustained by numerous
reports in British newspapers of all
shades OF politics. A correspondent
Of the st. James Gazette reports the
British Gen. Campbell as having told
him Of "ordcrs to sweep the country"
and continuing, says:
"a view of his following soon made
it obvious that he had not failed to
carry out his orders All farms on
the line OF march were cleared of
horses, cattle, sheep, wagons, carts,
etc, the forage being burnt, and the
owners hidden to join the ranks of
the prisoners, Of whom there were al
ready good number"
This is no exceptional instance. All
the Bocr houses from Vryheld to Dun
dee, distance of so miles, have been
burned. Bothaville and Ventcrsburg
have been completely destroyed. In
other places, too, whole districts have
been laid bare. And so reckless are
the British in burning the farms Of
absent Beers who are supposed to be
in the Bocr military service that it
often happens that those whose farms
have been burned are absent because
they are prisoners of war in the GUS
| tody of the British. A correspondent
of the Pail Mall Gazette one who is
entirely in sympathy with this policy
of mcrcilcss destruction, says that
| "prisoners of war on their return will
| find in nine cases out of ten'-think
Of it! "in nine cases out of ten"-"that
their homcstcads have been burned
down." He says this in connection
with a blooded proposition to or
ganizc Il British company for the pur-
chase of these farms for song.
In magnificent contrast with this in
glorious British war of determination
against non n-combatants Of all ages
and sexes, is the defiance that Gen.
Botha sends out to Lord Roberts: ~
desire to give you the assurance" he
writes, in answer to a letter from Rob
crts threatening a continuance of the
barbaric policy, "that nothing you
will deter us in continuing the strug-
gle for our independence" Here is n
situation that should make American
blood flow faster. Have we forgotten
that they were British tories who
made the British name synonym for
savage cruelty throughout the revolt
| ing colonies OH this continent when
our fathers were fighting for inde-
pendence? The same tory instinct is
now devastating the homes of the
Beers. Have we forgotten the stub
born courage of the founders of our
government, who devoted their lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honor
! to the liberation of this land from tory
dominion? Can we see no parallel?
Are our mouths indeed so full of Fill