It is clear, as Mr. Brodrick pointed out, that the
meaning of this is that Mr. Kruger is using the efforts of the Pro- Boers here to encourage the men in the field. He has not, of course, spent a penny on the Boer women and children, or on the prisoners, but he knows that the Boers in the field will hear of what is being done, and will believe that he is doing it, and that he has the power and the will to help the women and prisoners as long as the Boers continue to fight. It is very "slim." Of course we cannot let that piece of cunning be made a ground for severity to the women and prisoners, but unless the eyes of the Pro-Boers are hopelessly blinded by prejudice, this proclamation should surely make them see that their misguided action is prolonging the war they are so anxious to see stopped. They are encouraging the Boers (though un- consciously no doubt) to continue the struggle, and it is idle to pretend that it is not so. The Boers have a firm belief in their own steadfastness and in the sentimental weakness of all Englishmen, and the action of the Pro-Boers seems to them to afford the strongest possible confirmation of this view. The debate ended by a passage of arms between Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman and Mr. Balfour, owing to Mr. Balfour having declared that the leader of the Opposition had made "a frankly Pro-Boer speech," which, of course, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman denied.
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