The Lobby Correspondent of the Daily News, writing in Tuesday's
issue, remarks that "a good deal of comment is heard on the lack of hospitality shown by the Government towards General Smuts during his visit here, and a Parliamentary Committee has been formed to remedy this deficiency." The insinuation that the Government have deliberately ignored the presence of tho gallant General we believe to be without a shade or a shadow of warrant or foundation. One might as well attack the Govern- ment for failing to entertain Marshal Joffre or General Nivelle, to say nothing of Lord French, Sir John Jellicoo, or Sir Douglas Haig. The time for official banqueting has not come. But at the recent luncheon and dinner to celebrate the entry of the United States into the war, no guest, after the American Ambas- sador, occupied a more conspicuous or honoured position than General Smuts. The comment of the Daily News is all the more to be deprecated because it cannot fail to create an unfavourable impression in South Africa. Of one thing we are sure. The gallant soldier of the Union will be the first to repudiate this tactless attempt to make miachief.
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