The Washington times., 1915-12-22
now BRITAIN MANAGES IT

very mgh rating Tor military efii-
cheney, there are some other re-
spects in which assuredly she de-
serves to rank high. For one thing,
the world has been amazed at the
demonstration of loyalty and devo-
tion given by the British dominions
in all parts of the world. Far from
realizing German anticipations that
the empire would fall to pieces the
moment pressure was applied to it
from the outside, the British system
has been solidifed and strengthened
by the realization Of the common
peril, and by thought Of what the
alternative to British protection
might be.
The world has been taught to be-
lieve, and Americans Of a certain
class were especially prone to sc-
cept the notion, that the British en-
pire represented a great scheme Of
iniquitous conquests; provinces held
by the power of the sword, peoples
deprived of liberty, colonies that
yearned for an independence they
were not strong enough to seize.
The time of peril came, and now the
supreme loyalty Of these same "op-
pressed" colonies is the reproach Of
even England herself.
From South Africa there has just
come tale of the methods Of Brit
ish rule, which gives suggestion Of
how these things are brought tc
pass under the British system. Az
ter the Boer war, it will be recalled
Britain very quickly restored the ruiz
.of the South African Union TO itt
own people; the Beers and their sym
pathizers were in the majority, anC
they promptly came into control oi
the government, with General Botha
once leader of the Boer armies, al
premier. 1t seemed almost unbe,
lievable that such thing could have
been risked; but Britain knows th'
colonial business as no other natioI
has ever known it; and the results
have demonstrated her wisdom.
! Nevertheless, while the Union O
South Africa was on the whole thor
oughly loyal to the empire, Their
were some exceptions. Germa1
agents had worked long and sedu
lously to arouse disaffection; an
Berlin confidently expected that a
soon as the war began there woul
be an uprising that would overtur
the British control and place tn
Dutch elements in control. This, ir
deed, was to be the basis of a Gel
manic effort to gain control of
great empire in Africa.
But the expected-the expected, q
Germany was expecting-did nc
happen. Gen. Christian DeWet OF
ganized a little revolt, which faile
to secure any real following, an
was quickly suppressed, It's leader
were arrested and locked up, on yer
, proper charges of treason.
In like circumstances, Germany {
Russia would almost certainly haN
convicted and sentenced these pri
I oners to death. Instead, they wei
, sentenced to moderate punishment
the ringleader to six years in prise
and to pay a fine. Now comes al
p nouncement that they have been r.
4 leased on condition merely, that the
pay their fines, give their parole
n keep out of politics, and to rema
e away from public meetings.
8 1t is hard to keep factional feeIir
and race prejudices alive in a cou
: try under such rule as this. In trut
p however, South Africa is not rul,
r from Britain at all; it is as self-go
: erning as Canada or Australia,
? New Zealand. It's people have
= reason to resent British interferen
3 with their affairs, because there is
q such interference.
The little countries of the wor
have their own good reasons for pr
n ferring British to Germanic domin
tion. Compare this incident of t
y Boer prisoners with the "Zaben
.0 cident" year before the war bro
out, and the reasons are reasonab
'e clear.