Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-12
Both Sides in South Africa Show
Great Activity.
DISPOSITION OF THEIR FORCES
Gen. Butler Tells of the Fiasco at
Vaal Krantz.
IN THE PRESS

LONDON, February 12-Not a line of
war uews having been received since yes
terday. Great Britain remains waiting
anxiously to learn which side will succeed
in striking first. The feeling. however. is
much more confident than at the opening Of
last week. in consequence of the widespread
belief that the hands of Field Marshal Lord
Roberts and Gen. Kitchener are now firmly
grpped at the helm and that. whatever
happens, the campaign will now be waged
under careful. comprehensive plans. in
which all the forces will cooperate. Beth
sides seem to be collecting themselves for
attack The left horn of the Boer army is
creeping through Zululand and threatening
the British right. and at Chieveley Gen.
Jcubert. with 5000 men. is reported to be
endeavoring TO attack Gen. Butler. Boer
aSgresSiVencSs has already developed and
has met with repulse at Rensburg. while
from what now becomes the most import
ant point Of the campaign. the Modder
river. comes the news of ceaseless activity
and redoub!ed vigilance These reports
create hopefulness in Great Britain rather
than anxiety. for the impression exists that
the Bner aggressiveness will give the Brit
ish troops their long-yearned-for oppor
tunity, and tend greatly 10 assist the broad
plan Of campaign which Lord Roberts may
shortly be expected TO set in motion at the
Modder river. In the meanwhile, Lady
smith must await the exigencies attendant
upon the more important military move
ments on foot. II is said positively
that Gen. MacdonaId's withdrawal from
Koodoosberg was ordered by Gen. Methuen
under Lord Roberts Instructions.
Frank Harris Views.
Frank Harris. former editor of the Satur-
day Review. in pamphlet published to-
day. reiterates the view which tine ST.
James Gazette has been insisting on. that
quality and not quantity is what England
needs to beat the Beers and that Eng
land always fails to learn ny experience
He adds: The hattie Of Saratoga should |
have taught every Enslishman the true
theory of war There the American militia /!
nJt only defeated the English troops but |
forced them to an ienominious surrender |
and. mark il. those same English troops |
were the best soldiers of their time Or
take Stih clearer ease. WelHnSton'S VET
Grams were beaten at New Orleans by half
their number OF raw militia But even New
orleans taught the English nothing. The |
British in their turn. play ssIvages to the |
B"ers snd advance across the open to be |
swept away by rifle fire. They don't seem |
Ia see that their bravery is just as useless
and just as stupid the bravery of the |
Hddendowa Arabs. If You will read the |
history Of the American navy YOU will find |
that in the war of 1872 her ships beat
yours wherever they met them, simply be- |
cause the Americans had sights on their
cannon and your sailors had none. In 1914 |
some OF the cannon of the American ships
were already rifed and their balls went
through the English ships as a knife goes
through cheese Get up your corps of
Inarksmen now. Give them telescope sights
and the best rifles Train them sharp
shooters, not as pugilists. and you will beat
the Beers yet, and not otherwise
Another Cause of Faiiure
Another reason for Great Brita:n's failure
IS given by Arnold White the author, who
attributes everything 10 the bancful influ-
ence of London's smart society. He has
written letter on this subject to the
Daily Chronicle. which has given it much
prominence. In it he says:
'DisrepUtable women who affect the con-
duct Of a lady without her esraces are
among the leading spirits of smart society
When the morals of the poultry yard flour
lsh in the atmosphere Of the stable it is only
natural that the intelligence of the nursery
Is applied 10 the problems of the empire
To enter into the charmed circle neither
brains nor breeding nor birth nor influence
are necessary. All thar is required Is
money, and then more money Every now
and then an explosion takes place and the
public learns with bewildermcnt that cheat
ing at cards is Il normal feature of smart
society. or that women who are courtesans
IN all but name no more tabooed in |
smart sociesy than they were from the
pavilion at Brighton in the days of the Re
eN-NS- illF StNiV1 lIilutllCe on tne govern |
MeLt WlelGed by this common rout of cir
Ces- cybarites, cynics. fuanciers is subtle |
and profound. Legislation, foreign policy |
and taxation are not settled in parliament.
The real decisions are made in the smart |
craving rooms IN The season. on Sundays
In the country houses, in boudoirs and res
taurants- The wrong class of American |
women, people who are not received in |
New York or Washington. are pushed into |
what is seemingly but not really exclusive
society: Smart women without character,
men without self-respect and a government
that is too philosophical. effete. preoccupied
or exhausted to see that EngIand's great
ness IS slipping away from her are the
allies of this infomous confederacy."
BI LLER COULD NOT INTRENCH,