The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-02-17
The English Regiments are Kept
Safely in Rear.
GREAT DISPARITY in LOSS OF LIFE
unwillingness Of the Police for
Foreign Service.

Although the Irish people have no
sympathy for those OF their countrymcn
WHO are fighting the battles of imperial
ism aud against liberty in South Africa,
the fact is not overlooked here that
Butler, like the rest OF the generals, is
pursuing the policy OF putting the
Scotch and the Irish regiments in the
front OF the fighting. and are told off to
lead the van in every tough struggle en-
countered i'll his attempted advance for
the relief OF Ladysmith and if he ever
reaches that belcaguered town it will
only be when a large dsproportionatc
number OF 1rishmen have given up their
llfcs on the field, says the Dublin cor
respondent OF the Chicago Chronicle.
There is nothing more horrible" says
writer i'll one Of Our papers, lin this
abominable war than that Irishmcn
should be playing the chief part in the
attempt to overthrow the republics and
enslavc the Boers.' The only pity one
can feel for these tirclings is that their
hearts surely cannot be in such a cam
paign. According to recent figures the
Irish people are paying blood tax ar
ranged upon the same basis as the
money tax. While the proportion OF
men in the field was to S, the losses OF
the Irish regiments arc given at more
than onclalf of those of the EnglisI,
regiments, while If the murderous work
had been properly proportional five
Englishmcn would have been killed for
every freshman. But, possibly, the for
lner is more careful of his hide. The
Scotch battalions, too, although Num-
bcrlng only about onc-third Of the Eng
lish, have lost more than onc-hall as
many men as the English, but not near
SO many proportionatcly as the Irish
battalions. In recording the fact that OF
the 1877 noncommissioncd officers and
men reported by General Butler killed
at the Tugela river the Frecmans Jour
nal notes that more than half of them
belonged TO Irish regiments, the Con-
iaught rangers suffering the most Sc
vercly OF all the regiments engaged, and
then adds: "Thc unanimity with which,
all the commanders in South Africa or
der Irish troops to attempt practically
impossible feats is most peculiar. From
the battle Of Dundee down to that OF
the Tugela Irish troops have been
placed in the very heart of the hottest
fighting, and though they have never
f1nched they have, OF course, suffered
very severely. Somewhat similar treat
ment has been metcd out to the Scotch
regiments, but not nearly to the same
extent. The question suggests itself,
why should not an English regiment be
given an opportunity Of distinguishing
itself now and again? OF course, it will
never be answered, except by the form
al phrase that it is all within the discre-
ton of the commanding officer. But it
is decidedly peculiar, nevertheless.
The Royal Irish constabulary are I'M
doubtedly splendid lot of men physic-
ally, and it was lately rumorcd that they
were enthusiastic for the career of a
soldier in South Africa, caring naught
for its attendant hardsl1ips and dan
gers. Have they not often RACED
with crowbars the novels OF widows
and battered the heads Of unoffcnd-
ing old unarmcd men and boys?
Sometimes even they have fired
deadly bullets into crowds listening to
nationaist-that is, disloyal-spcechcs.
About year ago Lord Wo1sclcy had
set his heart upon the formation OF a
regiment OF Irish guards, to be formed
OF the members Of the Royal Irish con-
stabulary, but the response to his invita-
ton by the "pcclcrs" was so feeble and
hcsitating that he abandoned the pro-
jcct. Their unwillingncss to volunteer
finds an explanation, however, in a very
loyal paper as follows: "A great deal
has been said and written concerning
the fact that the Royal Irish constabu-
larry has sent no contingent to the front.
AS matter of fact, numerous applica-
tons have been made by the men, both
mounted and dismountcd, for permits
sion to proceed to South Africa, either
as fighting or ambulance men. The
authorities, while duly approaching
these patriotic offers, are unable to
spare the volunteers. And the real rea-
son why the authorities are unable to
spare them is that they are regarded as
an army of occ11nation not 70 nra,nant