The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-08-15
ENGLISH GOVERNMENT ACCUSED.
Sold by all druggists. 25 cents.

Daily News, is the latest war CORE.
spondent to attack the methods and the
red tape Of the British war office. He
says
Let me tell you how onr army in
South Africa is treated by the incom-
petent people iu the good city of Lon
don. pledge my word, as a man, and
journalist, that every written word
is true. will add nothing nor detract
from, nor set down aught in malice. II
my statements are proven false, then
let me be scourged with the tongue and
pen of scorn from every decent Briton's
home and hearth forever after; for he
who lies about his country at such an
hour as this Of all traitors the vilest. l
will deal now particularly with the men
who are acting under the command Of
Lieutenant General Rundle. This good
soldier and courteous gentleman has to
hold a frontage line from Wilburg
via Senekal, almost co the borders Of
Basutoland. His whole front, extend
ing nearly 100 miles, is threatened con-
stantly by an active, dashing, deter.
mined enemy, an enemy who knows
the country far better than any Eng
lish hunting squire knows the ground
he hunts over season after season.
"rU hold this vast line intact Gen
eral Rumble has to march from point to
point as his scouts warn him Of the
movements of the tireless foe.
General Rundle's task is colossal
one and any man would think that gi-
gantc efforts would be made to keep
him amply supplied with food for his
soldiers. But such is not the case. The
men are absolutely starving. Many of
the infantry men are 80 weak that they
can barely stagger along under the
weight Of their soldierly equipment.
They are worn TO shadows and move
with weary lstless footsteps. People
high up in authority may deny this,
but he who denies it sullies the truth.
This is what the soldiers get to eat, what
they have been getting to eat, for a long
time past and what they are likely to
get for long time to come unless Eng
land rOuses herself and bites TO the
tone in regard 10 the people who are
responsible iorit;
zone pound Of raw -four, which the
soldiers have TO cook after hard days
march, is served out 10 each man every
alternate day. The following day he
eats Que pound Of biscuits. In this
country thereis no fuel excepting lit
tie OK dung dried by the sun. II sol.
dier is lucky enough to pick up a little
he can 20 to the nearest water, Of which
there is plenty, mix his cake without
yeast or baking powder and make some
sort of wretched mouthful. lie gets
one pound Of raw fresh meat daily,
which nine times out Of ten he cannot
cook, aud there his supplies end.
what has become Of the rations of
rum, Of sugar, Of tea, Of cocoa, OF gro-
ceri9s generally? Ask at the snug little
railway sidings, where the goods are
stacked-and forgotten, Ask in the
big stores in Cape Town and other Cape
port towns, where countless thousands
Of pounds worth Of food stuff lies rot
ting in the warehouses, bound up and
tied down with red tape bandgages.
Ask-yes, ask but don't stop at asking
damn somebody high in power. Don't
let some wretched underling be made
the scapegoat OF this criminal state OF
affairs, for the taint OF this shameful
thing rests upon you, upon every Briton
whose home, privilege and prosperity is
being safeguarded by these iamishing
men. The folk in authority will proba.
bly, tell you that General Rumble and
his splendid fellows are so isolated that
food cannot be obtained for them. | say
that is false"
Hale goes on to tell Of a foraging trip
he and a fellow correspondent made
eighteen hours out OF General Rundle's
camp, without escort, securing plenty Of
supplies and without show Of molesta-
tiOn.
He censures the transport people for
their lack Of activity, and continues:
"Our men on the field Of war are fam
ishing while millions worth of food is
lying rotting on our wharves and in our
city, food which ought with ordinary
management 10 be within easy reach Of
our fighting generals. Britain asks Of
Rumble the fulfillment OF task that
would tax the energies and abilities Of
the first general in Europe, and with
stout heart he faces the work in front OF
him faces il with men whose knees
knock under them when they march,
with hands that shake when they
shoulder their rihes-shake, but not
with fear ;tremble, but not from wounds,
but from weakness, from poverty OF
blood and muscle, brought about by con-
tinual hunger. Are those men fit to
storm kopja? Are they fit 10 tramp
the whole night through 10 make
forced march, 10 turn apOsition and then
hght like their fathers fought, next day?
"l tell you, no. And yours be the
shame il the empires flag is lowered
not theirs but yOurs-for you-what do
you do? You stand in your music halls
and shout a chorus Of songs full Of sem
timent, Of pride for your soldiers, full Of
praise for their patience, their pluck and
devotion 10 duty and you let them 60
hungry so hungry that / have often seen
than, ouarral with a niOOer for a hand.