A STRANGE INTERVIEW.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 17 October 1906, Page 3

A STRANGE INTERVIEW.

"C.B.'S" REMARKABLE UTTERANCES. THE SOUTH "AFRICAN WAR. (FBOil OUR OWS COKRESrOXDENT.) LONDON, 7th September. Sir H. Campbell Bannerman, the Prime Minister, has been talking to a rather peculiar tune. The proof > sheets of the interview, which a special correspondent of me Vienna Neve Freie Presse had with, the Premier at Marienbad last week arrived in London last night. The report of the interview was published in Vienna yesterday morning. The complete interview, as given by the Austrian correspondent, proves, if correct, to be one of the most remarkable and astonishing series of statements evor uttered by a responsible statesman. The interviewer states that he was introduced to tho Prime Minister by Professor Oscar Browning, of Cambridge. Sir Henry was soon cordial and warm. "Certainly," he said, "it was a good thing for the two monarcis should meet again, but I, see no point on the habitable earth where the interests of England and Germany come naturally into- collision. There is only a strong commercial and industrial competition between us and the Germans. Unfortunately we have several newspapers with great circulations which m'av be described as the Jingo press; these organs care only for sensations, and I condemn them strongly." Sir Henry went on to say, "I am not or opinion that an excessive Imperialism is the salvation of England." The Premier then referred to the excited state of public opinion when so many people were denounced as pro-Boors. "I roceived a- letter one day," he said, "from a clergyman, who wrote: — 'You are a scoundrel and a traitor and a murderer, and I hope you will meet with -a murderer's doom.' That was the way in which a servant of God wrote to me ! I sent the letter to his bishop, who excused the man because his mind waa unhinged. To-day any member of Parliament can speak his mind freely about this useless, unheard-of and criminal war w»i. w out protest even fronr'many Unionists. Liberals can applaud this criticism ;it was not always like that. It was at one time positively dangerous to ppeak against the couth African war. I repeat that it was a frivolous war." "Incited by Mr. Chamberlain ?" asked tho correspondent. "That I leave you to judge," replied ths Prims Minister. < "Do you not think that Mr. Chamberlain, like Napoleon 111., when in difficulties thought of an external war?" "So he is judged." Then hesitating a minute, he continued, "I am not aware of the intentions of Mr. Chamberlain's politics, but what I do -know is this : one ought not to judge England by him. Jonn Bull is no friend of provocation or trickery. Tricks do not fit in with a system" of frse government."