The Irish standard., 1901-03-23

letter was published in the WOlYer-
hampton Express and Star from Pri-
vate John Harris in which the writer
said that no prisoners We're taken now,
and that any wounded left on the field
We're put through the mill. These are
specific Statements confirming the
charge. . J. now come to what has in
fluenced me more than anything else
in this matter. l refer to the COM
ments Of the English press on these
charges. TIE Pail Mall Gazette, writ
ing on the day after the publication
of the officers letter in the Freeman's
Journal, said: eve wish we could be-
leve it, (cries of "Shame'D. The Bir-
mingham Daily Gazette said the Beers
could not regain what they had lost,
and if they did not surrender they
would be treated as wanton marauders
and murdercrs, who should be eXter-
minated, so that the lives of English
tsoldiers could be saved (crics Of
''Shame'D. The London Daily Tcle-
graph said that as the Germans had
40 compunction in dealing with the
JIranc-Tireurs during the war with
| France, it was to be hoped that the
same measures would be adopted in
/ South Africa, unless the British forces
met with immediate success, and that
Il specific proclamation should be is
sued requiring Il general surrender
within IL certain time, and failing COM
plian.c with that. tie Beers still in
he field should be treated as rebels,
and shot. That is The language of the
English press. What. J ask, is the Use
of members opposite dcnouncing me
as Il tlaillccr Of the arny in face of
| these statements? | come next to the
espectable standard lmwsIupcr (Iau"h.
teri. That journal said that in every
rebellion Il point is reached at which
til" services Of the provost marshal be-
come necessary. and that every Bucr
caught in delicto. that is bearing arms.
should be severely punished and ron
WINGED that they rsked more than the
loss VI their farms when they took I'D
arms against the government. All
these responsible journals, therefore,
are shown TO be advocates of this in
human policy (clleers). When that let
ter was published in the Frceman's
journal tire Pal! Mall Gazettc's only
comment was: We wish we could be.
lieNc it to be true" Well, sir there
are other circumstances more serious,
sinister, and disquicting about this
whole business. Lord Kitchener adj
dressed Il meeting of burghers near
Pretoria in January last. We have
not full report of his speech, but
from whnt we have of it we know it
WAS an extraordinary speech. and it
has made me feel extremely uneasy.
In reference to the question of no
quarter, Lord Kitchener said on that
occasion he was going for short time
to adopt the policy of cancellation re-
fcrrcd to by Mr.. Chamberlain in his
statement to tire House of Commons.
He explained his policy Of Cancellation,
which was to suspend for the time be-
ing his devastating policy. Orders
were issued that for Il time farms
should not be burned until the cases
We're investigated, and Lord Kitchener
concluded Ills speech in these words:
IF the Cancellation methods he was
now adopting failed Ire had other
methods which he would be obliged to
exercise" Now, what are the other
methods? Urish chcers.) We are cn-
titled to demand and to insist OH an
answer from the government as to
what these other means are renewed
cheers. They cannot have been the
policy Of devastation and burning, be-
cause that was carried out to such an
extent that the whole country WAS
burned; it cannot have lreen the policy
of refuge In prison camps; it WAS other
means: and l want to know what
those other means We're. L have failed
TO imagine any other means, but Lord
Kitchener is n man who would not
use such an expression unless tlnrn
were some other means present to his
mind. These words of his had II most
sinister meaning. heard them in con
JUNCTION with the very extraordinary
expression. an explanation of which
ought to have been demanded. used by
the colonial secretary III the debate last
December The colonial secretary OH
that occasion used these words: Let
me say that since the proclamation was
ordered no doubt the situation to a GER
! ton of the British troops is much
stronger now than ut that time, that is
to say that although all this skirmisll-
ing is going on, regular warfare has
practically ceased. Therefore, it is
! open to the general now in command
to reconsider his position and suhsti
tutn other punishment if he thinks II
right to do" What right had any man
to import the word punishment into
this matter? This is war, and not Il
rebellion. Qrish chcers.) I say tho
words substitute other punishment
was II most sinister and dangerous eX
preston. You have no right to pun