The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-05
President Kruger on Peace.

The Paris Matin" prints an inter
view with President Kruger in which
that distinguished exile reiterates his
and his peoples stern determination
not to make terms with England, ex-
cept upon the basis of TransVaal and
Orange Free State independence. He
also speaks scathingly of atrocities
which he declares have been persist
emily perpetrated by the British troops
throughout the war, and assigns that
as another reason for continuing the
struggle.
Much as Americans may sympathize
with the aged patriot, it cannot be de-
MED that the case as he puts il has
its weak side. No doubt there have
been cruelties and brutalities, but they
have not been confined to the British;
and notwithstanding the brilliant rec
ord the Beers have made in the field
their cause has not been we'll managed
on the whole. and especially of late.
The senseless murders of peace ENJOYS
by Botha and De Wet have done more
than any other thing to prevent Eng
land from making liberal concessions,
J.
power to do so. If. the laws of war
had been religiously respected by the
Boer commanders. and the conflict
during the past few months had been
conducted on their part7with due regard
for future possibilities, it is probable
that public opinion in the United King
dom would by this time be demanding
the extension Of liberal terms TO the
South African people AS 1t is, there
is no apparent way out of the entan-
clement save TO fight il out.
Mr.. Kruger assaiIs his energy with
bitterness for refusing TO consider ar
bitration, and as ne says, for defyIng
the rules adopted by The Hague Confer
ence. He is unable to see that, how
ever wise or just it might be to submit
the quarrel TO an Impartial tribunal
England has technical right on her SIDE
in refusing to adopt that course. Ar
bitratiOn is resorted TO aIr.ng modern
nations only between and by the mu-
tuaI consent of two independent sover-
eign States Under the letter Of inter
national law the South African Repub-
lie never was fully sovereign in power.
It's foreign affairs We're subject to the
supervision Of England, which fact con-
stituted a suzerainty. In these circum-
stances while President Kruger might
at any time appeal to one or more o.
the Powers for mediation or interven-
ton, he could not Of right demand ar
bitration with the suzeTain State. As
10 The Hague rules, he is mistaken in
thinking that This country has any legal
standing before the general court Of
arbitration established by the confer
cree. The operation OF the agreements
entered into At that gathering extends
only 20 the signatOTies, which do not
include the TransvaaI or the Free
State Republics Every right-mInded
person must feel sorry for the ven
cradle BoeT who is eating his heart out
in Europe in mourning for his fallen
country; but his grief and his griev-
ances do not alter accomplished facts.
The struggle has reached a point where
it is no longer war, but practically
what in this country We call bush
whacking. 1t may be continued indefi-
niteIy perhaps, and a great deal of
damage may yet be inflicted upon the
British; but the longer it as kept up.
the more relentless VIII the suppression
be. and the harder the conditions when
resistance finally shall be overcome.
Mr. Kruger and his advisers ought to
realize this, and counsel their people to
make the best terms they can and SO
bring the present spectacle Of useless
bIoodshed and misery to an end.