Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-01
AMERICANS AND THE Beers
HOW WE VIEW THE STRUGGLE IN
SOUTH AFRICA.
The Situation in This Country as 1t
Churchill, Who Lectured Here.

Winston Spencer Churchill in Golfers Weekly
Before 1 sailed from England proposing
to lecture in the United States people who
understood American opinion or who said
they understood American opinion-I won
der If any one man can gauge the opinion,
at a given moment of eighty millions
spread over a continent ?-declared that I
should meet warm reception.
"They are all bitter pro-Boers over
there" they said.
But have always believed that in free
country every one, even an alien, has q
right to form his own opinion and express
the same to as many as care to listen.
Nevertheless, it was with feelings of con-
siderable trepidation that appeared before
my first American audience
1t was in Philadelphia itsef-the city Of
the messenger boy. A concourse of some
thing like three thousand people had gath
cred in a spacious and magnificent theater.
The chairman made Il few neutral observa-
tons, retired from the stage and left me
alone with America. / had arranged some
slides for the magic lantern, which would
enable the audience to express and me to
learn their feelings as early as possible.
Several pictures of Boer commanders and
the portrait of Mr.. Reitz were passed with
Indifference, but when Gen. Louis Botha's
portrait was flashed upon the screen the
applause was sudden and loud. So far as
ence We're politely hostile. l said that they
were quite right to cheer a gallant and
patriotic man fighting against heavy odds,
that whenever l had shown Louis Botha's
picture in England it had always been re-
ceived with cheers, and that they ought to
know that the British felt no rancor nor
any bitterness whatever against the Beers
for their brave resistance and respected
every honorable enemy.
At this the audience thawed perceptbly,
and l then took occasion to observe that
we British hoped that we should not be
found less steadfast and enduring in sup
port of our cause than were stubborn
antagonists, whereat the pro-Brit1sh sec
ton of the audience raised a lively counter
cheer: and matters having thus been es-
tablshed on a friendly basis all round,
proceeded to the end of my address with
most indulgent and attentive audience.
Since then l have spoken in many towns
throughout the eastern states. Opinion in
the audiences has varied from Philadelphia,
which was as l have described, to Boston,
where regular demonstration was made
in favor Of the British cause.
The great hall was crowded In every par:
and at least dozen union jacks were wav-
ed by enthusiastic people. Across the plat
form were drawn up fifty gentlemen Of the
British Veterans Corps in uniform, with
their Crimean and mutiny medals glitter
ing and a sprinkling Of American volun-
teers returned from serving in the Light
Horse In South Africa relieved the black
and white of evening dress with the famil-
lar color of khaki.
Naturally l took rather holder line I'M
der these encouragements for although an
honest man should always sing the same
song-his country's cause-sometimes it is
wise to sing it in different key.
The only unpleasant incident which have
had was in New York, where my agent,
without my knowledge, printed, without
their consent, the names of several promi-
nent pro-Boers as forming part of recep-
ton committee These gentlemen, to whom
am glad to have an opportunity of offering
and wrote to say SO in the newspapers.
This affair in way affected the success
of my New York lecture, for found there
a very large, though rather silent, audi
ence who heard me with patience TO the
end.
So much for experiences; let me try to
reach some conclusion. What is the true
opinion Of the United States upon the Boer
war and her attitude toward Great Britain:
II seems presumptuous for any one to an
swer such a question after the study only
of a month; but an invitation to pronounce
must always be accepted as an excuse for
doing so.
A large minority of the people Of the
United States sympathize with the Beers.
To my mind that is very natural. II man
has detached sympathies curling ABOUT ldly
in the air like the tentacles of an octopus
he will probably fasten them on to the first
object of sympathy which may come along
The British empire. altheugn ANXIOUS 1ss iH III
no immediate need Of sympathy from any
one. , -, .ho;r
sad position the prolonged and marveious
resistance which, all unframed or taught
only by the cunning of the frontiersman,
thew are making for the sake of preserving
their own independence and their own Dutch
aag must attract the interest and the ad-
miration of sentimental people, particularly
~ those folk who give and are IN posltloh
| IN give their sentiments free play, untrah-
noeied by vulgar and prosaic facts. am
frank to admit that l should SympathiZe
with the Beers If 1 were not an English
| man and had not visited South AFRICA
| There is a great volume or academic sym.
nathy for the Beers in this country, but
pwhatever practical strength 1t possesses
crises from the comparatively small nu-
cleus of bitter and irreconcilable ant brit
| ish feeling which has always marred, ana
NAV for a long time mar, the good under
sanding which ought to exist between
Great Britain and the United States.
JJpon the other hand rejoice to find
that Great Britain has many firm friends
in the United States. There is the English
man who has made America his home and
has become citizen. but who. for all his
| LOYALTY to the land Of his adoption, cher
| ishes a deep affection for the land Of his
birth There is the American whose ances-
| tors have lived for so many generations on
American soil that, despite political cata-
cIysms and the inevitable changes of time.
| he looks back, with the kinship Of race and
| law and bridges the ocean which divides
| the new world from the old and links the
| traditions of an ancient kingdom with the
| hope of growing republic. There Is the
naval ofacer-one that met had fought in
| intolerance of the fighting man, that when
thew oufAr rf,s.f osaA wanffo