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 Katfirs and natives,
and made use of them against us in
war. He has been continually .huss
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 sick bed, or
those whose >tLte of health should
have protected them against rough
treatment" 1t is q 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
were dragging them away. 'The
property OF prisoners and the killed
burghers have not been respected by
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 hnrghers We're
interfering with the lines of COMMUNE
cation. Nearly all the houses in the
two republics were subsequently de-
stroyed, whether they We're 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 1Africander 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 lie haS
robbed US Ut our good name also"
These words, L say, represent the truth
of the policy you are carrying out in
South Africa. L turn nogv from this
subject--lhis painful and bnmiliuting
subiect-to another aspect OF tire war,
which is full of mystery and sinister
made against Lord Kitchener for
which, while L am prepared to ADMIT
there is not complete evidence, L say
there is, sufficient evidence to demand
from you a serious aud searching i'll
yestigatiOn hear, hcar). 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 Omdurman, namely that he con-
Neyed to his officers secret instructions
to take no prisoners. (Murmurs of dis
sent on the ministerial bGnches.) | 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 un anony-
nous letter, but it is confirmed by the
letters of two VI three soldiers whose
oiu1l S,itC ttiIu WIN SIttS lIlttt
in accordance with the Instructions
they received they had killed the
wounded Beers and refused quarter
(cries Of Shame" from the Irish bench
cs). l wish to say, however, That this
charge has been denied by Lord Kit
chener himself and also by tire secre-
tary of state for war in this House
but the denial has been made by both
in very extraordinary language (hear,
henr) IL was open to them to treat
these charges with contempt. but they
did not adopt that course. They pub
lished categorical denial of the
charge. and it is remarkable that in the
case OF both Ford Kitchener and OF the
secretary of state for war they do not
deny the precise clnrges as made Qr-
ish cheers. What was the denial, let
me ask? Here are Lord kitchener's
words. telcgraphcd by him to the at
torney- general mt Cape Town: IN,
structions of the nature mentioned
We're never given or Thought of. We
treat tile enemy surrendered with ev-
cry consideration" That is lord Kit
chcncrs denial. Tic secretary of state
for war most Indignantly denied the
charge, and said that Lord Kitchener
had never given orders or ever intend
nfl IN sln1lrlIrr thr priSoupIS in his nos.
session. But that charge was never
made Before he could slaughter his
prisoners he should capture them alive
Ursh cheers. Tho real charge is that
private instructions We're issued t.
take no prisoners, which is an entirely
different thing (hrar, hear. Now tlt
first publication of this charge was
made in Il letter from an officer wlicl
was published in the Trreman'S Jour
nal. and in a second letter that was
published by Mr. Stead Here are tllt
exact words of the letter from thu
officer: The orders in this district arc
to burn and destroy all provisions. for
age, cattle. cite. Also word has beel
passed around privately that no prison
crs are to be taken. The order was Civ
Ell to me personally by Il general o
the highest standing. so that there cal
be no mistake about it, The illstrlc
ton given to the columns purs,ln:
De Wet are that all the Beers must b.