Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-13
RED TAPE AND HUNGER.

A War Correspondent With Rundlo
Tells of suffering OF the soldiers.
Correspondent Associated Press
London, Aug. 4.-Mr. "A. G. Hales, reps
resentative in South Africa Of the Daily
News. is the latest war correspondent
to attack the methods and the red tape
of the British war Office. He says:
Let me tell you how our army in Az
rica is treated by the incompetent peo-
pie in the good city of London. pledge
my Word as a man and journalist that
every written word is true Iwill add
nothing, nor dstract from, nor set down 81
5aught IN malice. IL my statements are
/ proven false then let me be scourgad
with the tongue and pen of scorn from
every decent Rriton's home and heart
forever after. for he who LEG about his
country al such an hour as this is of all
TRAITORS the Worst.
II will deal now particularly with the
men Who are acting under the command
LOT Lieut.. Gen. 81. Leslie Rundle. This
good soldier and courteous gentleman
lEhas TO hold a frontage line from Win
burg via senekal. almost 10 the borders
LOT Basu5oiand. His whole front, eS-
tending nearly 100 miles, Is constantly
Threatened by an active. dashing, de-
lsteririned enemy, an enemy who knows
istte country far better than an English
fox hunting squire knows the ground he
hunts over season after season. To hold
this vast line intact Gen. Rumble has to
Emarch from point TO point as his scouts
warn him of the movements of the tire
Hess foe.
Gen. Bundles task is colossal one,
land any sane man would think that gt-
Igantic efforts would be made TO keep
1 him amply supplied with food for his
/ soldiers. But such is not the case. The
men are absolutely starving. Many OF
j the infantry men are 50 weak that they
can barely s.aggsr along under the
weight of their soldierly equipment.
/ They are Worn to shadows and move
4 with weary, listless footsteps on the
| march. People high up in authority
j MY #deny5this, but he who denies 1t sul-
i lies the truth.
This is what the soldiers get to eat.
isWha, they have been getting TO eat for
la long time past and what they are
Iiikely to get Tor long time to come.
iunless England rouses herself and bites
tie the bone in regard to the people who
lare sponsible for it:
One pound OF raw -four, which the
8 soldiers have to cook after a hard days
march. is served out to each man every
4 alternate day. The following day he
leafs enc pound Of biscuits.
= II this country there is little or no
ffue,. If a soldier is lucky enough to-
tpieiS UP a little he can go3to the nearest
water. of which there is plenty, mix his
iEcaiSe without yeast or baking powder.
lard make some sort Of a wretcheds
lnouthful He gets one pound Of raw
4tfresll meat daily. which nine times out
8!of ten he can not cook, and there his
supplies end.
Il .sMhat has become of the rations Of
n lililn. of sugar, of tea, Of COCOA. of gro
n ceries generally? Ask at the snug lit
Il Tile railway sidings where the goods are
Istacked--and forgotten. Ask in the big
81 stores i'll Cape Town and other seaport
Il Towns Ask in your own country.
i.where countless thousands OF pounds
Worth of foodstuff lie rotting in the
warehouses, bound UP and tied down
with tape bandages. Ask-yes, ask.
but don't stop at asking; condemn
isomebody high up in power. Don't let
some wretched underling be made the
iscapegoat4 of this criminal state of at
. fairs, for the taint of this shameful
thing rests upon you, upon every Briton
E whose homes. privileges and prosperity
i are being safeguarded by these famish-
y ling men.
Are those men fit to storm kopje7
Are they fit to tramp the whole night
, thru to make forced march to turn q
4 Iposition and then fight like their Ia
Y theirs fought next day?
e I tell you no! And yours be the
: shame If the empires flag be lowered.
: not theirs, but yours--forS you--what do
e lyou do? You stand in your music halls
G and shout a chorus of songs full of sem
: tinents of pride for your soldier, full
!. tof praise for his patience his pluck and
"a his devotion to duty; ana you let him
OIL go hungry. SO hungry that I nave often
alseen him quarrel with 4 black for. I
lhandtnl IS nv nealies % ths llskelss I