The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-12
BETTER THAN FOR TWO YEARS
English Soldiers Not to Blame
For Their Defeat.
WILL TREAT METHUEN WELL
Terrible Record Of the ReconcentradO
Camps-Hardly Live Child in All the
TIansvaal Under the Age of Thee
Years-COuntTy Of Large Families.

BALTIMORE. March l2.-Dr. Teudrick
Muller, representative of the Orange Free
State. spent a part Of yesterday afternoon
at the law offices Of Mr.. Louis P. Hennig-
hansen, 2I5 St. Paul Street.
Or. Muller is 4 doctor OF philosophy.
and his home is now at The Hague As
an envoy from South Africa he made a
treaty with Germany in 1897. He repre-
scented his Government in . postal con-
vention in Washington in 1897. Il was
through him that the Orange Free State
became 4 party 90 the Convention OF
Geneva, which particularly established
the rights Of the humane Red Cross So
ciety.
A Typical Beer.
Dr. Muller is a typical Boer. He is Of
massive frame. broad forehead. and rudy
complexion. which is not hidden alto
gether by a heavy black beard.
When asked by reporter as to his
views OF the capture Of General Methuen
and part OF his army, he said he had
not been able 20 get definite data about il.
but il was not altogether an unexpected
coup. as the South African armies were
now in better fighting condition than they
had been for the past Two years.
Finds Americans Sympathetic.
DIT. Muller said be had been in this
country for TWO and a half months. The
first two months he had spent quietly In
studying the people, and especially their
views in relation TO mis- at present IN
fortunate country.
He said this country is most gigantic
one, populated with kindly and sympa-
thetic people. He had a lev days ago. he
said paid "a visit 20 President Roose-
welt. and the President had met him as
the people had done, in a genial. kind
wey.
VIII Treat Nethue7 We'll.
The doctor then reverted TO the condl-
tion Of affairs IN south Africa. He said.
General Methuen viii Ne well treated.
as the Beers live cOnscienti0usly up to
the humanitarian laws governing warfare.
He VIII be kept with the army and may
have to drink chicory for coffee and live
on coarse food. as our officers have no
better to offer.
The release OF Major Paris By our
forces and the humane methods exercised
by our forces toward captiyes. coupIed
with the capture Of Methuen. must i'm
press the English GOver"nent and cause
its army to deal more kindly with its
prisoners.
The English Government should not
blame It's army for its failure 90 capture
South Africa. Dc should take fl o con
sidcTatioD that our country is a large one.
Cape Colony is far larger than the Oranra
Free state and the TransvaaI coIabiras
The Free State IS as big as Spain and
the TTansvaal as big as France. There IS
now lighting all over South Africa We
have plenty Of ammunition and the cOun-
try affords unlimited quantities Of food
though il is Of a coarse nature.
We have little left TO lose Our farms
have been devastated. Oue-halI OF our
white population IS in til reconcentrado
camps Our soldiers are. however. fun
OF hope Of triumPhing in the end
The worst feature Of this sad war is
the reCOnCentradO camps. The mortality
among the children is fearful to con
template. According TO British statistics
tho death rate in these camps among
children during the month OF November
was 81 per cent, in December. II per
cent. There is hardly a live child in the
Transvaal under three years OF age. Be
fore the war the death rate among chill
dren was below per cent
Country Of Large Families.
south Africa is a country OF large
families. The average parents have from