PRO-BOER INSANITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 22, 26 January 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

PRO-BOER INSANITY.

A SMACK FOR STEAD

In the vilification of the British troops employed in the South African (campaign no man. has been more prominent than Mr W. T. Stead. Recently this peculiar creature was at great pains to circulate a manifesto purporting' to be the work of a British officer. It contained a series of the foulest calumnies against our soldiers, and many of its recipients hare replied to Mr Stead in language which, if his cuticle is not that of a rhinoceros, must have made the "good man" feel anything but happy. Stead favoured Sir .Frederick Milner, M,P.. with one of his broad sheets, and asked Sir Frederick's opinion thereon. He gave it freely, not only to Mr Stead, but to the press. In his letter, Sir Frederick says: "My opinion is that you ought to be ashamed of yourself for circulating so vile a slander against your fellow-countrymen. You seem to have made it your mission in life to vilify your country and to slander the brave men who have suffered and borne so much for their countr.y. It seems to me a pity that you do not remove yourself to France, and offer your services to the gutter press, where they would undoubtedly be appreciated. As to the letter of *A British Officer,' I decline to believe that any British officer could so demean himself as to spread so gross a calumny against his fellow soldiers without having the courage to put his name at the end of it. If, indeed, any British officer has stooped so low, I can only say that he is a contemptible coward, and I should like to have the opportunity of telling him so to his face; but in my opinion the 'British officer' does not live Ear from Ihe offices of Mr W. T. Stead. Personally I. prefer to believe the testimony of Lord Roberts, Sir Eedvers Buller, and other brave generals as to the conduct of our soldiers in South Africa. I don't know if you have taken the trouble to read Lord Roberts' touching farewell to his troops when he speaks of the gallantry, the patient endurance, the good conduct and humanity of our brave soldiers. If you have read it. and it has not made you fepl ashnmod of yourself, I fear nothing will."

For Sir Frederick Milnet's reply to the man Stead we give him thanks. In any other country he would have found the inside of a prison long ago, but here we don't care to give such people the chance of posing as martyrs. Yet some punishment is surely due to men of his kidney. No one ought to object to honest criticism openly made, but Stead and his gang are.not honest. They pass over Lord Roberts' tribute to his troops in silence, but give the widest, publicity to -vile stories against our soldiers without making the faintest attempt to enquire into the bona fides of the men who supply these abominable yarns. Consider just one little story which was circulated widely by the Steadites. namely, that of ihe rape of Butch women by troopers near Dundee. It was as circumstantial as need be, but though the names of the dishonoured women were given, no attempt was made by Stead and company to verify the 'yarn, nor did "hey express the faintest suspicion as to its truth. On the contrary, they T)ut it forward as gospel, and made it a near, whereon-to hang sermons on the irirmity o-f Tommy Atkins and Mr oncers. Other people, however, did take the trouble +o make enquiries on the spot, nml they rHscov<»rprl thnt■f^ere was not oT\f.'prn!n of truth \n the story, and the father-in-law "nf

one oi' the alleged victims swore aa affidavit to the effect that the wooiau had been in his house at the time of tlu- supposed outrage, and that, no British troops had ever been -vithhi five miles of the house." But the Stoad gang continue to circulate this and similar stories ;is evidence of tha British soldiers' vileness.