The evening times., 1900-06-13

Foreign diplomats in Washington are
wondering if England will finally succeed
in hoodwinking all the rest Of the world
and if the power Of British-owned cables
is such as to stiHe the truth about ques-
tions that are of vital interest to the peo-
pie Of all nations.
When the English Government adopted
as a fixed policy the fostering CT cables
reaching to every quarter of the globe it
was supposed that the object was TO pro-
vide for prompt communication between
London and the English land and naval
forces in time OF war or other emergency.
This was regarded as a legitimate purpose
and there was no objection. But now it is
seen that the shrewd men who manipulate
thiEgs in London had another goal-the
twisting OF facts TO suit the emergencies
OF practical politics" as illustrated by
leaders of the Chamberlain type The
world was to be deceived that the schemes
of land grabbers and trade grabbers might
succeed
And 50 the diplomats of other countries
are now asking If there is enough fairness
and respect for truth and justice in the
English people TO stop this systematic cam
paign OF deceit. which was inaugurated
not by them. but by some of the unprin-
cipled leaders. Surely. say these diplo-
mats, the English DO not need TO grovel in
such base methods fer the spread of their
legitimate interests.
The cables reaching TO and from China
are starting out to repeat The work OF those
tnat connect South Africa with the outside
world In the latter case, as is well known
England not only controls the lines eN-
I-vav h. all gFnfac hnff ole
those connecting the Beers with the rest
of civilization She had. of course, a right
TO present her side OF the case. But 10
deny the other side a hearing before the
nations Of the earth and 10 smother the
Boer cause beneath a mass of falsehoOds
cabled from Cape Town and Durham WAS
a crowning victory for craftsmanship Of
the Chamberlain and Rhodes type.
The worlds information as TO the
strength. purposes, and methods of the
Boer resistance was dictated by British
censors who conveniently forgot the in
junction Thou shalt not bear false wit
ness against thy neighbor" When il
served as a palliative for British weak
ness the Boer Army was represented as
of enormous size. Ii would never haze
done, according TO the Chamberlain ides,
TO let the world know in the early days OF
the war that General White. with from
15,0eO to 10000 men, was driven 10 hasty
retreat by an army smaller than his own
and locked up in LAdysmith for months
British superiority could not bear the
blow Of letting ii become public that
.Cronje, with 6CO0 men, defeated Ne
thuens loco at Magersfontein and kept
5000 besieged in Kimberley al the same
time. The armies of White and Methuen
were deliberately underestimate by per
Sons who knew the figures, and the
strength of the Beers was put ridiculousIy
high 1t was represented for months that
the Beers had from 20 900 to $50. 900 men
in the field, though Captain Reichmann.
United States military attache with the:s.
has stated in an official report that they
never had more than q. Goo
When the British retreated they "retir-
ed to take up a more advantageous posi-
tion IN the rear" But the Beers always
''fled," and usually fled in disorder
The other Side of It,
So much for this phase Of the war And
now as to another one. President Kruger
was represented in the London papers as
crushed in spirit and suing for peace"
day after day, when that stout old burgher
was bending all his thoughts to fighting.
He was depicted as filed with evil
schemes Of conquest, when, as is well
known, he has all along been content to
live in peace without any foreign relations
for his country whatever. Kruger was al
ways threatening the johannesburg banks,
wrecking the mines and horse whipping
the KafIrs. But the banks and mines
were all right when Lord Roberts got TO
the coveted city of gold. and the natives
were living in contentment with the Boer
Government Steyn. the fighting Free
State President. who is now playing havoc
with the British line Of communications
was usually represented in the London pa
pers as 'haranguing his burghers so as to
restore their broken fighting spirit" These
same burghers were always returning 20
their farms" Threadbare fakes were
repeated so often that their absurdity
must have dawned upon the even the most
Obtlse readers.
Meanwhile. if the enterprising London
correspondents. miles away knew SO much
that was going on inside the Boer lines
now was II at PRETORIA Not line was
permitted 10 be cabled from the Boer cap
ital except the briefest announcements of
events and only when the Eritish censor
at Alden was willing 20 pass them. I'm
preludiced American visitors to the Trans
Vaal have come away with ideas far dif-
terent from those so industriously worked
Up by the rabid lingo press of London
But the Chamberlain idea was that the
world must be deceived. II must not know
the truth, for the truth might hurt The
LONDON and Cape Town freebooters.
Next as 10 China. In order 10 under
stand the situation there, it should be
borne in mind that practically all the Chi
nese cables are owned by British capital
lists and controlled by the British Govern
ment when il chooses. British cores
pondents flock 10 Tientsin, Shanghai and
Pekin and, getting their cue from London
start OF the Transvaal programme over
again. The world must be hoodwinked at
any cost England must be represented
as great and powerful-this to smooth the
combs Of the self-complacent jingoes-.
and as the defender of the United States
from alleged Russian schemes Russia
must be vilifed as the Transvaal and Or
anse Free State had been. SO as TO helv
the work OF drawing over the United
States to England's side. Above all. the
situation must be painted as black as pos
sible, so as to show the need of England
medGllng more and more in Chinese at
fairs.
The London papers present a strange
phase. Though there is Nc censorship
there the same destruction of independent
expression and the same serviIity to ON
eialdom prevail for all practical purposes
as In Russia. The difference is that in
Russia the press is controlled by the state
through foTcible regulation. while in Lon
don the leading papers are glad to wear
the shackles voluntarily.
The prominent London newspapers are
the mouthpieces Of the Government Some
Of them. at least, impose upon their read
ers by printing canards that are intended
TO deceive other countries into being vic
Tins Of English diplomatic designs. The
Foreign Office is Jove whose thunders