The Irish standard., 1901-03-23

names Of your. generals are forgotten.
What do they say in their proclama-
ton? Here is, their solemn protest
against the way in which this war is
being conducted: "Our enemy" they
say, '.has armed Kattirs and natives,
and made use Of them against us in
war. He has been continually buss
capturing women and children, old
and sickly men. Many women's deaths
have been occasioned because the So
called Christian enemy had no consid-
GRAFTON for women on a sick bed, or
those whose >tlte OF health should
have protected them against rough
treatment" 1t is a fact that you have
torn sick women from their beds, wom~
en- who have given. birth to children
on the cattle trucks on which you
We're dragging them away. "The
property Of prisoners and the killed
burghers have not been respected by
the enemy. In many instances the
mother and father are taken from the
house, and the children are left to
their fate. The world is told by the
enemy that he was obliged to carry
this out, because our burghers We're
interfering with the lines of commune
cation. Nearly all the houses in the
two republics We're subsequently de-
stroyed, whether they wrre near the
railway lines or not, while with re-
gard to the misuse Of the white flag,
that is Il contention put forward for
the purpose Of heaping upon Us IL cal
umny against which the Africander is
striving since God first brought him
into contact With the Englishman. Rob
bling his opponent of his goods and
property is not sufficient for the enemy
He will not rest satisfied till he Aas
robbed US vi our good name also"
These words, L say, represent the truth
of the policy you are carrying out in
South Africa. 1 turn nov from this
subject-this painful and bnnlliatng
snbject-to another aspect OF tire war,
which is full of mystery and sinister
Significance. and that is the charge
made against Lord Kitchener. for
which, while L am prepared to a.smit
there is. not complete evidence, l cay
there is sufficient evidence to denlali.!
from you Il serious and searching in
yestigation Qhear hear). What is this
charge? 1t is that Lord Kitchener has
recently in the Transvaal repeated
what he is alleged to have done on the
eve Of Omdurmau, namely that he con-
veyel to his officers secret instructions
to take no prisoners. lAIurmurs of dis
sent OH the ministerial bencles.) will
state the case frankly, and claim that
the evidence in support of the charge
is, sufficient to require the closest in
vestigation (henr, hear. First OF all,
let me- say that this charge has been
made, as L Shall show, in M ;lnony-
nous letter, but it is confirmed by the
letters Of two or three soldiers whose
names L shall give and who state that
in accordance with the Instructions
they received they had killed the
wounded Beers and refused quarter
(cries OF Shame from the Irish bench
esq, wish to say, however, that this
charge has. been denied by Lord Kit
chener himself and also by Tire sccra-
tary of state for war in this House;
but the denial has been made by both
in very extraordinary language (llear,
these charges With contempt, but they
did not adopt that course. They pub
lished Il categorical denial of the
charge, and it is remarkable that in the
case OF both Lord Kitchener and of the
secretary of state for war they do not
deny the precise charges MS made Ur-
jsh cheers. What was the denial, let
me ask? 1Iere are Lord Ilitcheners
words, telcgraphcd by him to the at
structions of the nature mentioned
were never given or Thought of. We
trent the enemy surrendered with CIV
cry consideration That is lord Kit
chcncr's denial. Tho secretary of state
for war most Indignantly denied the
charge, and said that Lord Kitchener
had never given orders or ever intend
ed to slaughter the prisoners in his pos
session. But' that charge was never
made. Before he could slaughter his
prisoners he should capture them alive
Qrish cheers. The real charge is that
private instructions We're issued to
take no prisoners. which is an entirely
different thing (hrar. hear. Now the
first publication of this charge was
made in Il letter from an officer which
was published in the Frccman's Jour
published by Mr.. Stead. Here are the
exact words Of the letter from tho
officer: The orders in this district are
to burn and destroy all provisions. for
age, cattle. cite. Also word has been
passed around privately that no prison.
crs are to be taken. The order was Civ
Ell to me personally by general of
the highest standing. so that there can
be no mistake about it. The instruc,
ton given to the columns pursuing
De Wet are that all the Beers must be