OLIVE SCHREINER ANDHER DETRACTORS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1900, Page 2

OLIVE SCHREINER ANDHER DETRACTORS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Mr Edwin Cox in your issue of 16th inst. writes thus:—"My reply to Mr W. Whittaker is that neither in my letter (vide your issue of the 9th) or in my thoughts had I come to the conclusion that Olive Schreiner "had not acted conscientiously."

May I again quote Mr Cox's actual words appearing in your issue of 9th inst. to which he refers? Here they are: "Amid the tempest of her own heart Miss Olive Schreiner seems unable to hear the voice of conscience," etc.

Now, sir, unless words have lost their meaning*, how can a person who is unable to hear the voice of conscience "act conscientiously?" Perhaps Mr Cox makes a subtle distinction between "seems unable to hear" and being unable, but the implication in either case is obvious.

Mr Cox further asks: "Does Mr Whittaker esteem Kruger's Pharaohlike • policy his exacting and contemptuous treatment of the Uitlanders, and the atrocious cruelty and slavery of the blacks, the side of mercy and humanity?"

This is outside the question and ungenerous, Sir Cox, not to say nnBriitdsh, but we'll let that pass.

My contention was that if in trying to prevent war Olive Schreiner were wrong—wrong when measured by the standard of her detractor's right—then she was "wrong on the side of mercy and humanity."

And, surely, the position is an impregnable one in the light of Gospel day and an advanced civilisation. If the peacemakers are blessed, and "shall be called the children of God," surely the war-makers, the Kiplings, etc., must look for adoption in an en-

tirely different family.

Mr Cox talks of the Boers "atrocious cruelty" and "the long,- low cry of the enslaved and despised native races." "Lest we forget, lest we forget," to quote Mr Kipling in repentant mood, may I remind Mr Cox that in the case of at least one native race, the Zulu, the British, possibly from humane motives, assisted the "atrociomsly cruel" Boer to partially suppress "the long, low cry" by killing off a section of those who uttered it. —-I am, etc.,

W. WHITTAKER,