The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-07-20
BRITISH ATROCITIES.
Including Burning Of Farms and In
suits to Women.

Including Burning Of Farms and In
suits to Women.
The following special cable from
London dated July 10, appeared in
last Sundays issue Of the Chicago
Americana:
The world is just beginning to re
allie the extent of the atrocities be-
ing practiced on the Boer women and
children in the Transvaal by the sol
diers of the British army.
Barn burning is only one of the
milder forms of barbarism practiced
by Tommy Atkins under the orders OF
General Lord Kitchener. Foul insults
and nameless illtreatment are accord
ed the helpless women Of the Boe1
patriots, who are fighting on the veldt
for all they hold dear.
While the flying columns of the
British army devastate the country
they are without restraint upon Their
brutality or their passions in treating
with the defenseless women. q
More than two columns of letters
and statements, from correspondent
and returned soldiers, are published 81
this weeks issue of Reynolds News
paper. These stories are from eye
witnesses and participants in the
scenes they describe. More than this
they are the naive confessions of men
whose returning sense Of decency
prompts them to speak.
They tell the manner in which the
British soldiers pass over the country
from which the Boer men have de.
parted, and with fire and sword leave
1T desolate waste, sparing no living
thing not able to defend itself. 1t is
war against the defenseless such as Dis
carried on by an army that cannot
successfully cope with the men of the
land, against whom alone the world
has charitably supposed it was direct
ing its energies.
These Englishmen, in relating their
experiences, make out case against
General Lord Kitchener that the
civilized world lis regretfully compelled
to accept. The whole South Afghan
war has degenerated into brutaHkel
campaign of lsllage and spolation that
cannot but hurt the cause of the
worlds civilization and betterment.
More than one of the returned SOL
der correspondents pleads for an end
to tho war as one that has dragged on
too far already. The grievance of
Tommy Atkins on his own account
reveals Il starting condition OF affairs.
He is marching and fighting and
running on small rations and in cloth
ing that i'll suits the harlsllips OF a
severe military campaign. The Of
ticers of the British army in the Trans
vaal are given double pay and have
all the comforts of we'll managed
campaign. This has the effect of
minimizing the supply or the very
necessities for Tommy.
There need be no surprise then, if
Tommy is quick to turn back when
llc hears the crack of Il Boer rifle.
and ready to surrender on the earliest
provocnton. The morale Of the army
has been reduced to such Il state of
neglect, i'll treatment and martinez
discipline that it is really fit to fight
only against women and children.
One Of the writer's whose commune
cation Is taken from the Morning Her
aid Of Perth. West Australia, is Berth
II. Tay, who went to the Transvaa]
as correspondent of that paper. accom-
panyng the West Australia contn-
| gent.
The manner of burning houses and
looting is tolt! graphically. He says:
Before the first house on the right
as l turned into the little street, piled
| in a confused tumble was heap of
those articles that go to make hum
bic home. On n trunk and leaning
with her face buried in her arms on
a machine stand, sat a woman CARRIED
in black. BY her side stood a girl of
eighteen, erect, with lips closed tight,
ly together and her face flushed angri.
.ly red beneath her sunbonnet.
'"Tommies. their pockets and flaver
sacks b,hglng with loot, their faces
abeam with pleasure fitted hither and
thither. One rushed from "A house
with violin case under his arms ant
While vet he was strapping it to his
saddle vicious tongue of flame sho
out from under the caves and clou(
of smoke sailed slyward. The Cir
said something lowtonM in Dutch A
deep sob shook the machine stand.
II passed the sergeant in charge OF
the squad Of Tommies. I've bee,
ordered to burn the lot he said, wav
ing a hand along the street. BY God
It's heart-breaking!
''The second house was large. o
brick. somewhat Notwithstanding
with white plaster pillars supportin,
its broad wickerfurnlshed veranda. A
glance ut the little group of female
ut the door told the high class Boer
refined. educated.
"A trooper staggered up. Tel
minutes to get out what you want
l AZ.