The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-07
British Poet Denounced by
British Novelist.
VERSE IS RESENTED
Sensation Produced at the Expense
of the Truth. .
FLATTERER OF BRITISH OFFICERS
In England Some OF lx ipling,s Warm
est Admirers Are Dia-
Eusted.

Chicago, Jan. 7-Gilbert Parker of Lon
don, author. member of parliament, con
demned Rudyard Kipling last night in I'M
measured terms. Mr.. Parker came to
Chicago for the purpose of being present
at the reunion of his brothers, which took
place yesterday. Harry Parker came from
st. Paul, Frederick Parker from New
York, and the novelist from England All
are guests of Lionel Parker of Chicago
Tomorrow Gilbert Parker will leave for
england via Toronto, where he will speak
at the dinner in honor of the opening OF
the provincial legislature. Said he:
have no criticism to make of Mr.. Kipling'
poetry. but can speak of his politics only in
terms OF unqualified condemnation. In this
last poem he gives utterance to sentiments
Wnlcn aHect the Whole empire in which, oil
course. he has an enormous influence
share all Mr.. Kipling's love and respect fol
that empire. There is no justice or consisten.
cy IN Mr.. Kipling's attitude For years he
mas been the friend and hatterer of the Brit
ism army officer. rTo whom does he refer
when he sings of "fanneled fools at the
wlckets and the muddied OATS at the goals"!
lie refers, presumably, to those who have
been responsible for the conduct Of affairs OF
the war in South Africa
assert
that Tommy Atkins has not done we'll He
is hitting at the oficers and the classes from
which they are drawn. What an attitude for
the apostle of empire-of athletic empire-to
take! Have the officers and the nation been
all wrong? If SO, why mas Mr. Kipling not
said so? Why did he not begin saying so ten
years ago? Why does he preach this now?
tlanneled fools at the wickets'' from the
man who wrote ''The Drums Of the Fore and
Mar 1o oe,, +l,;.
first preacher Of dominant imperialism! Yes,
Mr.. kipling has produced a poetic sensation
at the expense of the truth. He has written
honestly, l believe, but inconsistency and
without justice. Be-
Resented in England.
The Record-Herald this morning pub
fishes the following London cable: Rud-
yard k1pllng's latest performance in verse
has naturally disguised some of his warm
est admirers. 1t IS not that they object to
his advocacy of CONSUMPTION. That is a
favorite article of the lingo, although the
Times still hesitates Ito adopt it, fore
seeing, perhaps, that when it ,comes there
will be an end to the commercial suprem-
acy of Great Britain. But there is some
patriotism left among us, in spite of the
new Imperialism. We do not all acknoWl-
edge Mr.. Kipling's authority to sit in
judgment upon our miserable tie island,
Even were the poetic quality Of: the
islanders" fifty times higher than 1t is,
it would not justify the language Of
historical vituperation in which Mr.. Kip
ling INDUCES. The government: has com.
mltted blunders enough and to spare It
'blundered during the progress Of the war.
as it blundered before the war began. but
our soldiers are, as they always have
been, the pride of the whole country.
Their patient endurance of hardship in
South Africa has been even more re-
markable than their brilliant courage.
lMr. k1pling may detest manly sports as
much as he pleases. That is a matter of
taste and temperament, Of nerves ans
health. But when he talks about s.flan-
nelled fools at the wicket" and ..'muddied
OATS at the goals he provokes Just. and
general resentment. Cricket and football
may be abused like any other form of
athletics, but they are magnificent games
especially cricket. 1t was in the cricket
field-which Australians by the way, love
as much as Englishmen-that some Of the
best officers of the british army first dis
tinguished themselves
AS. for the kept cock pheasant" to
adopt Kiplings poetic diction, Lord Rob
erts probably shot as many as the Duke
OF Wellington. What conceivable harm
can it do soldiers to shoot straight? The
English people are not, as MI. Kipline
calls them, idle, nor have they as MANY
gods as he asserts they have They are
Industrious, honest and God-fearing. well
able to order their lives wit hout Mr.. Kip
ling'S advice .-zse-a '--@