Evening star., 1902-01-21
DEBATE ON BOER WAR
BEGUN IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT
LAST NIGHT.
Mr.. Chamberlain Declared That Eng
land Was Open to Proper
Peace Proposals.

dispatch from London last night says:
The first important debate of the session
began in the house of commons tonight
on an amendment moved by Mr.. Cawley.
liberal, 10 the address in reply to the
speech from the throne While the amend
ment constituted recognized part of the
opposition program, it was not supported
by single front bencher.
The debate, however, had two noticeable
points. The first was the helplessness of
the real unity Of the opposition, as shown
by the result of the vote on the amend
ment proposed by John Dillon, on which
| considerable body of the radicals voted
with the nationalists against the policy of
supporting the war.
The second noticeable point was the de-
livery by Mr.. Chamberlain of what was
called the turning the corner for peace
speech which, except in the extreme pro-
Boer quarters, seems to be upon all sides
approved as dignfffed and statesmanlike
utterance.
Mr.. Chamberlain expressly declared that
the government was not animated by any
Vjndictive feeling, nor deaf to reasonable
oVertures of peace, but insisted that the
latter must come from responsible au-
| thcrity.
Mr.. Chamberlain's speech considerably
impressed all sections of the house. He
himself was evidently imbued with its i'm
portance, for at one point he lost his notes
and took deal of pains to find and re-
arrange them before proceeding.
MIR. chamberlain spoke vigorously in de-
fense of the Boer war. He made the sig
nificant statement that it, as Lord Rose
bery's speech intimated, the Beers believed
they could at any time secure a repetition
OF Lord k1tchener's terms, he wished to
inform them that they were mistaken. He
denied the report that proposals of peace
had been received from the Beers.
Nv Chamberlain added, however, that the
| Or q no1n nnt ofn
termination. The Beers, he said, had al
ready been offered terms the liberality Of
which surprised even England's most Sc
we're critics. Since they had been rejected
the government did not propose to embar-
rass itself with further specific offer and
certainly would not withdraw the proclama-
ton OF August Z, 1901 1t would not pro-
pose any general confiscation of property.
MIR. Chamberlain said that the magnani-
nous treatment of the soldiers of the con-
federacy had been upheld as an example,
and 1t had been suggested that the course
of the United States in that matter should
be followed in South Africa.
Il am willing to accept the parallel,
said the colonial secretary. while the
lives of the soldiers were spared, no po-
litical conditions We're given the confeder-
ates, Whlle their property was contiscated
on tremendous scale. I see no reason
whatever to believe that an unconditional
surrender would permanently ALLEVIATE
conquered people. 1t did not in the case
lead to immediate harmony. But after Il
period which is d mere trifle in the life his
tory of nation it did lead to complete re-
union'
Mr.. Labouchere QiberaD declined to sup
port the amendment of Mr. Cawley be-
cause it pledged the liberals to vote sup
plies for the war. He described Lord Rose
berry as the serpent in the liberal Eden
John Dillon Qrish nationalist proposed
to omit that clause of the amendment pro-
viding funds to carry on the war. and add
clause denouncing the policy of the con-
centration camps. Mr.. Dillon's amend
ment was rejected by a vote of 2S3 to "a,
the majority of the liberals voting
against it.
ernment contemplates offering special
couragement and facilities for emigra ton
to South Africa on large scale.
Mr.. Chamberlain has cabled the COVER
nors of Australia and New Zealand invit-
ing each to send a further contingent of
LOCO men to South Africa.
a dispatch from Paris last night says:
The government was interpelated in the
chamber of deputies today on it's attitude
on the Transvaal war
NJ. Delcasse said The Hague convention
did not prevent war, but compelled the ma
tions to conduct it according to the laws
of nations and humanity. France was
willing to invoke arbitration when certain
that the offer would be accepted, but moth
ing had happened during the Transvaal
war to indicate that an offer of mediation
would be favorably received. If such an
offer were rejected, continued the minister
Of foreign affairs, it would be necessary
to impose mediation, which would have
made war inevitable.
I'VE are, therefore, obliged to refrain"
said NJ. DeIcasse, whatever may be the
sympathies all here profess for that cour-
ageous people Intervention on the part of
France would only result In entangling her
foreign policy, and it is the duty of the
government to retain entire liberty Of that
policy
The chamber unanimously approved the
declarations of NJ Delcasse, and then ad-
journed.