Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-08
Said to Have Placed Party Above Nation
in African Policy,
GOVERNMENT CHALLENGED TO ACTION
Opposition Leader Wants Matter Fully
Investigated at Present Time
CHAPTER FROM AN OLD NEWSPAPER
Colonial Under secretary is Accused
OF Having Been Party to Brutal
Treatment of Unpopular
Army Omcer.


LONDON. April 7.--(special Cablegram to |
The Bee. .D-Perhaps the most important sub !
ject Of political controversy at the present
time has been MIR. Winston ChuTchiils re-
cent pronouncements in regard to South
Africa. 1t Is feared by the liberal leaders
that there is trouble ahead OF the party !
not only I'm South Africa but in England as
well Mr. Chamberlain in a recent inter-
view says.
When Mr. Winston Churchill first be-
came under secretary of state for the col |
onies ne explained to an Interested world /
that he had accepted this humble post
because IL would give him an opportunity
OF keeping ar eye upon Mr.. Chamberlain
thus implying that the opportunity of criti-
cizinR a political opponent was more i'm
ernment OF the British empire. l assume
that this eelf-lmposed mission accounts
for his position recently. o,,,.,,,
am not concerned with Mr.. Churchlll
in his new character as political Mr..
Turvedrop and professor OF parliamentary
while 20 point out that the position of the
opposition in this matter is not so incon-
sistent as Mr.. Churchill supposes.
our view is that in present conditions no
. necessity exists for imperial interference,
and that the question Of Chinese labor ls
and unfettered discretion of the responsible
government which Is to be ultimately es-
tablished In the Transvaal
Charge of slavery Withdrawn.
The charge Of slavery has Deen WITH
drawn and members OF his ma1estys gov
eminent have so little faith in the accusa-
tions made during the election to which
they owe their abnormal ma ajority that they
refuse absolutely to institute that imperial
Fand judicial inquiry into the facts which
has been asked for by the opposition and
, by the representatives of the mining In
' dustry. Some them, however while shrink
ing from investigation. strive to satisfy
their extreme supporters by declaring the
system now in operation to be repugnant
to morality. and # has accordingly become
g. 81. dot out
that these Pharisaicsi utterances, like the
grosser charges made during the election.
were sincerely put forward It would be the
duty OF the government, while IL is still d.
rectly responsible for the government OF
the Transvaal and al whatever cost In the
way OF compensation or otherwise, to take
immediate steps to bring an immoral policy
His majesty's government however. first
decided to allow II to go on as long as
the power to stop Z was in its own hands;
continuing oe-abesinhing II upon the new
Trnnsvtal governnent Finding that the
was unacceptaple to the pigtail section OF
their party, they have now announced
government to decide against the immiera-
ton OF Asiatics they Will actively inter-
vene 70 overrule their decision II It should
prove to be in favor OF the existing system
The censorious attitude which the
under secretary for the colonies has as
sumed concerning Lord Miner and the cor
pOral punishment of Chinese coolies has
recalled the conduct of the under secre-
tary in the notorious case of ''ragging' in
the Fourth Hussars.
Ten years ago he was concerned in as
gross a piece Of persecution as can be
imagined. and reference to the columns
OF Labouchere's Truth throws an interest
Ing side light on the ideas upon the
brotherhood Of man." entertained by the
under secretary.
4 Two young officers of the Fourth Hussars
were driven from the regiment owing to
<-the gross conduct and cruel boycotting of
their fellows. In one case. the second, which
provoked 30 much INDICATION the under sec
retary played the part Of spokesman.
Before certain Mr.. Bruce Joined the
Hussafs he received an invitation from one
OF the subalterns of the regiment to dine
at the Nimrod club The under secretary
who had been contemporary OF Mr.
p. Bruce's at sandhurst. was among the com
pany.
~ Quoting from Truth.
"on the conclusion OF the dinner" &C
quote from Truth, ian incident of an ex
traordinary nature took place. Acting ap
parently as spokesman of the junior Of
ncers OF the regiment. Spencer Churchill
Informed Mr.. Bruce, almost in so man.
words. that he had been invited to dinner
IN order TO let him know that he was no
wanted in the regiment.
"He was asked what his allowance wa
10 be. and IN reply he stated the amount
very respectable sum. He was told tina
on this allowance he could not go the pac
OF the regiment.
"A subaltern named Hodge had Just lef
tie regiment under circumstances whlcl
have also been brought 70 the attention
~
pointed 10 the vacancy thus created. Tn
select gang who were entertaining MI
Bruce alluded in significant terms TO Tn
fate Of the departed Hodge. They init
mated that they would get rid Of Bruce
too adding that II the latter gentlemal
did not make a graceful exit now he woul
probably make a disgraceful one befor
very long"
Mr.. Bruce refused to be brow-beaten b
the future under secretary and the re
mainder OF the gang" and, according I
Truth "an undisguised conspiracy" wa
formed against him and within a fe,
months he had to send In his papers
IN regard TO the other case. two sui
alterns whose Identity has never been re
veaied dragged Mr.. Hodge from his be
az a. m. and after he had been over
powered BY sheer force OF numbers he wa
pushed into horse trough. partitioned wit
iron bars. dragged through to the end an
then hauled out. wet. bruised and bleedin
and carried hack to his room.
Then more refined modes OF torture wer
invented Mr. Hodge was exposed 70
'remorseless boycott by the gang" {
which the under secretary was such cor
spicuous member. This had more effe,
II even than the physical IN treatment: Il
young oficer gave up the struggle In d,
Rnair. "a comDlete wreck ana vvellnig
broken hearted" he sent in his papers an
departed for the colonies.