New-York tribune., 1901-10-05
hIPLING ATTACKS WAR OFFICE
He SPECTATOR" WOULD RECALL KITCH-
ENER AND SEND OUT ROBERTS AGAIN.

AMI Sf-Ni) AGAIN
LONDON, Oct 4.-"In spite of the pledges OF
lhe government the whole army machine is to
"e hauied back as soon as ii may be TO the old
'uts of impotence. pretence and collapse"
writes Rrdya-d Kipling in striking letter to
Inc Spectator" upon the appointments of Sir
hedVers Butler and Sir Evelyn Wood to COM
ihand army corps. This pungent sentence voices
the national feeling that has prevailed this
week. without regard to party politics
men see, adds Mr.. Kipling, that the chosen
commanders are not quite in touch with the
real army, which. with a little tact and little
seriousness, might easily survive. It is not
the triviaiity or ineptitude displayed in the mat
ter that appalls, but the cynical levity"
Very much these lines all the weekles re-
gardless of politics take the government to
task The English people'-again to quote
from Mr. Kiplins's letter-'have paid no small
price in money and in blood that there might
be born an army handled by fit and proven
leaders"
The Spectator, although among the most
cautious of the governments supporters, comes
out boldly, not only with a declaration that the
appointments of Generals Butler and Wood are
absurd but also with a demand that Lord
Kitchener be recalled. This demand is nicely
Dut unmiStakably worded.
From the moment Lord Roberts left South
africa we seemed to lose our strategic grasp
upon the country" says The Spectator" and
II urges though without much hope that its
suggestion be accepted and Lord Roberts be
sent out again. According to The Spectator"
LCrd Kitchener has accomplished nothing in
year except by the process of attrition." 1t
compares his methods with those of Grant, but
does not believe that "a hammer man" is the
man to command in South Africa, although
The Spectator believes Lord Kitchener would
make an excellent commander-in-chief at home
II suggests that Lord Roberts should go back
Tor SIX months, Lord Kitchener either relieving
him in London or acting again as his chief Of
staff in South Africa.
IF Lord Roberts went out to finish the war"
says THE Spectator" he would we believe.
finish it by making the best possible use of the
material in hand"
The Morning Post" Urges the government to
make public Lord Kitohener's recent dispatches,
in order TO enable the public to judge as to the
real situation in South Africa.
The Standard" comments upon the increas-
disasters in Natal through the timely arrival
of Lord Kitchener's brother at Vryheid which
important station was threatened seriously, If
not actually beleaguered by Botha's forces"
1t is greatly dissatisfied with the "nonchalance
of the government"
Winston Spencer Churchill, speaking last
night at Oldham delivered himself of another
severe censure of the war policy of the govern
ment He declared that the military situation
in South Africa was now mot less momentous
than when the Boer armies threw themselves
into Natal at the beginning of the war" and
that the empire to-day 'confronts difficulties
and dangers more embarrassing than those
which hung over it in the black week of De-
cember 1899
This is regarded as a rather panicky view of
the situation. At the same time. the optimistic
views attributed TO the War Office find little
support either in the press or public opinion
Mr.. Churchill. speaking of the Ministers, said:
Instead of ceaselessly planning for the future,
they drifting helplessly in dream
The Daily News which appears to think
that the time is ripe for public dissatisfaction
with the government, TO give the Liberals
chance. makes the somewhat surprising sugges-
tion that nobody is so fitted to restore the
unity of the Liberal party as John Morley. who
is to-day the personal force around whom
may gather the popular faith that made Glad
II C1r,r1a -i1la hN n
Mr. Morley has only to speak, and thousands
will follow him.