, 1921-11-03

went to Cambridge for a university education in
law. Back again in South Africa, he practiced
law and politics. Then he became Paul Kruegers
secretary of state. Probably his state letters to
London had more than a little to do with bringing
on the Boer-British war Of 1S99-1902. Into that
hard-fought little conflict he went as a private.
II was about this time that Sir Alfred Miner
and SHUTS had their famous encounter, which Is
thus described by Stephen Bonsal In the New York
Times:
"Milner is reported to have pleaded with his
young and promising antagonist much in these
words:
Stop. look where you are going, SHUTS. You
are digging your political grave without knowing
1t, l think. England will never forgive or forget
this-and you a Cambridge man-one of our
own
"'Yesl I thought 1 was almost an Englishman.
too SHUTS is said to have answered. But the
Jameson raid proved to me that / wasn't. Pm 90
Ing with Dom Paul Kruger. not because Pm a
Dutchman or a South-African, but because he ia
right and l want to be right. Perhaps some day
England Will see who were her real friends and
who were her real foes, but in the meantime |
shall do my duty as | see livery clearly"
How interesting the meeting between these two
men as colleagues on the British delegation to the
Paris peace conferencel
That ws- .--ieu rour years. The British enlist.
ments totaled 100000 and those of the Beers 100
900. The British casualties were 24.OO0 and those
Of the Beers 1000, with 10000 prisoners. The
M aus VI lt VIII WIS the ulScOntent OF the
"outlanders." The terms Of peace were that the
Beers gave allegiance to Great Britain and were
granted full amnesty and the return OF their
property.
SHUTS emerged from the war a general. IL he
had considerable share In bringing on the war. he
probably had more TO do with bringing about
peace. For he was one of the Boer peace commits.
sioners who met General Kitchener and Lord NIL.
ner. Incidentally. SHUTS safe-conduct pass bore
the signature, ID. Haig. Colonel" Yes; this is
the same Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. with
whom Gen. Jan Christian SHUTS stood shoulder
to shoulder against the Germans. OF the part
played by SHUTS In bringing about peace In 1902
Edwin @. Hill writes In the New York Herald:
ut was rs one of the Boer peace commissioners
who met General Kitchener and Sir Alfred MlIner
that SHUTS rose TO the rank OF n statesman. Tho
commissioners had been unable to agree ana the
Beers returned TO their convention OF national dele
gates to obtain new instructions about surrender.
ing Internationally. For days the convention " n
Mt loggerheads. The delegates refused TO lepis.
Iate the republics out OF existence. AT length
SHUTS gained a hearing. He told them the truth
about the situation. He said that It wns impossI.
BILE to fight longer. that they could expect no helm
from Europe and America, and that further resist.
ance meant useless bloodshed.
brethren he declared. In what is regarded
among South-Africans ms one OF the most eloquent
and certainly one OF the most momentous speeches
ever made In that country. we have vowed to
stnnd fast TO the bitter end. Let us be men ana
acknowledge that that end has now come and that
IL Is more bitter than ever we thought II could be.