The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-08
Circulation statement-
The Alleged Beer Atrocities.

Allowing something for eXaggeraton,
It is to be feared that the charges Of
atrocities laid against the Beers at
Viakfontein and elsewhere in South
Africa Of late. are not without some
foundation. The London Daily Mail"
has received a batch OF letters from its
correspondent in the field the contents
of which would have been promptly
suppressed by the military censor
If filed for cabling The Mall
has PUBLISHED the allegations Of
its representative and endorsed them
editoriaIly IN the strongest terms
Among them is the statement that at
YlakfCntein the Beers shot q, British
officer and sergeant for refusing 10
show them how to work the suns they
had captured temporarily, and that IN
the interval before the British charged
and recaptured the artillery, the burgh-
ers shot all OF their wounded enemies
on the field These gruesome assertions
appear to be supported by statements
received from the correspondents Of
other papers. and from many private
sources IN South Africa Commenting
on these developments the Daily Mail
declares that the Government * sup
pressing the ruth concerning Beer
atrocities 10 prevent an outcry against
such peace terms as were recently e.
fered.
When we consider the fact that the
struggle in the Transvaal and Orange
States has changed from the char
acter Of regular TO that Of guerrilla
,r,F.,.. r,o -,rzbl5y Sl-,7yF5 F,a r,,-ar,araa
to expect that people like the Beers,
driven as they aIe 10 q condition Of
savage desperation. and continually in
cited BY their leaders to believe that
nothing they could do in the way of
vengeance and cruelty would equal the
WickednesS OF Great Britain in conquer
ing them, would De apt to pay little
heed 10 the laws OF civilized warfare,
about which most OF them are com
-pleIely ignorant President Kruger, 1t
will be remembered, announced AT the
beginning OF The contest that II the m
dependence OF his little country were
finally crushed OUT il would be at q
price that would stagger humanity"
There IS reason 10 appTehend that, 10
an extent little Ieauzed outside Uf Lord
hlICHeQEE : HtdOl LGlS anu the " dL
Office in London. Inc British are pay
ing the price predicted, and there is no
manner Of doubt IuaI, as the facts
transpire, humanity viii be staggered.
In our opinion, Jhat consideration
will not justify Great Britain in imitat-
ing the ftrociJy OF Inc BOers, nor IL re-
fusing TO treat win them IN d spirit OF
cIemenCy All OF the atrocities prob
ably have not been on one side. In
fact, from time TO ume we have heard
stories-ratner well authenticated, al
that-of pig sticking by British lane
ers, and that sort OF thing OF course.
If Mr.. Kruger and his advisers and
their followers at home are determined
to fight 10 the last man unless indie
pendence Is accorded 10 tie TTansvaaI
Great Britain viii feel compelled to car
Ty on the contest 10 the bitter end But
short Of Independence, the Salisbury
Government would do well 10 hold itself
in readiness to accord 10 the conquered
as great measure Of local liberty and
selT-government as the safety Of the
South African dependencies would al
low It is a very sad business, and
every lover Of his kind viii be thank
ful TO see the END OF IL