The Irish standard., 1901-03-23
,tter was published in the Wolyer-

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
were put, through the mill. These are
charge. 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 i'll the Freemns
Journal, said: I'VE wish we could be-
lievc it" (cries of "Shame'O. 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 marludcrs
and murderers, who should be eXter-
minated, SO that the lives of English
tsoldiers could be saved (cries OF
"Shame'). Tie London Daily Tcle
graph said that as the Germans had
40 conjunction in dealing with the
Jranc-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 q general surrender
within Il certain tins. and, failing com-
plian.c with that. the Beers still in
HE field should be treated us rebels,
and shot. That is tbe language of the
English press. What. ] ask, is the use
of members opposite dcnouncing me
as Il tlnlllccr of the army in face of
| these statements? | come next to the
cspcctable Standard newspaper uauyh
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 Bocr
caught in delicto. that is bearing arms.
SHOULD be severely punished and con
WINGED that they rjsked more than The
loss nf their farms when they took up
arms against the government. All
these responsible journals, therefore,
are shown to be advocates of this in
human policy (cheers). When that let
ter was published in the Freeman's
journal tire Pal! Mall Gazettc's ONLY
comment was: We wish we could be.
lievc it to be true" Well, sir there
are other circumstances more serious,
sinister, and lisquieting about This
whole business. Lord Kitchener adj
dressed a meeting of burghers near
Pretoria in January last. We have
not n 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 lie was going for Il short time
to adopt the policy of Cancellation re-
fcrrcd to by Mr.. Chamberlain in his
statement to tire House of Commons.
lie 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 eases
werc investigated, and Lord Kitchener
concluded his 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.l We arc en-
titled to demand and to insist Oh an
answer from the government as to
what these other means are (rcncwG,l
chCerS). They cannot have been the
pulicy of devastation and burning, be-
cause that was carried out to such an
cNtcnt that the whole country was
burned; it cannot have lecn the policy
of refuge in prison camps; it WAS other
means: and | want to know what
! those other means. We're. / have failed
to imagine any other means, but Lord
! Kitchener is a man who would not
use such an expression unless there
we're some other means present to his
mind These words Of his had Il 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 in 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 Il GER
tain extent changed because the posi-
ton of the British troops is muc
stronger now than ut that time, that is
to say that, although all this skirmisl
ing is going on. regular warfare has
practically ceased: Therefore, it is
open to the general now in command
to reconsider his position and subSti
tutn other punishment if he thinks II
right to do" What right had any MAI
to import the word punishment into
this matter? This is n war, and not /:
rebellion. Irish cheers.) 1 say til,
words "SubStitute other punishment
was Il most sinister and dangerous OK
precision. You have no right to pun